Thomas Haugh will put his NBA dreams on hold, ending weeks of speculation by announcing his return to the Florida Gators men’s basketball team for his senior season.
The 2026 All-American turned down becoming a potential lottery pick in the 2026 NBA Draft make another run at the national championship with Alex Condon, who will also return, and potentially Rueben Chinyelu, who declared for the draft Monday but maintained his eligibility to return..
The decision may surprise many, but for Haugh, returning to the University of Florida aligns with a lifelong dream.
Haugh’s connection to UF began long before he arrived on campus. The junior grew up in Pennsylvania carrying a Florida Gators lunch box. A poster of Tim Tebow hung on his wall, and his bedroom was painted orange and blue.
Not only does Haugh describe what it means to be a Gator, he is the true definition of loyalty in college sports. Haugh arrived at Florida as a freshman and worked behind the scenes to develop into the player he is today.
His path to Florida was not immediate. Haugh began as a role player at New Oxford High School (New Oxford, Pennsylvania) before transferring to Perkiomen School, where he initially struggled to crack the starting lineup. By his senior season, he earned a starting role alongside teammate Xaivian Lee.
Recruiting interest remained limited at first, with mid-major programs such as Bucknell University, Lehigh University and Colgate University among his primary suitors. After taking a postgraduate year to further develop his game, additional opportunities began to emerge.
Florida assistant coach Kevin Hovde discovered Haugh while scouting a prep tournament in Pennsylvania. Two days after visiting campus, Haugh announced his commitment to Florida on June 29, 2022.
Few expected a player who once held mostly mid-major offers would etch his name a part of Florida basketball royalty.
Haugh led the Gators in scoring last season, averaging 17.1 points per game. He earned first-team All-SEC honors and was named a third-team All-American by the Associated Press. Haugh was also recognized to the Julius Erving Award Top 5 Finalist list.
He became just the second Florida player to earn a place on all four consensus selectors’ All-America teams, joining Walter Clayton Jr., who accomplished the feat in during the 2024-25 season.
Haugh’s resume isn’t complete just yet as he also became the 59th member of the school’s 1,000-point club on an alley-oop layup from Alex Condon in the first half of the Texas game.
Haugh’s growth came steadily over three seasons. As a freshman, he played limited minutes at the back end of the rotation, averaging 14.7 minutes and 3.9 points per game.
His role expanded as a sophomore, when he averaged 24.5 minutes and 9.8 points per game while providing a boost off the bench during Florida’s national championship run.
By his junior season, Haugh made a significant leap. He averaged 33 minutes, 17.1 points, 6.1 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game while increasing his shot volume and maintaining efficiency.
In his junior year, he became an anchor for the Gators on both ends of the floor, drawing NBA interest with his versatility and relentless motor.
The message is simple: Haugh is back for his senior campaign, ready to finish unfinished business after the Gators’ title defense fell short to Iowa in the second round
CBS Sports has the Gators ranked No. 2 in its preseason projection behind Michigan after the Wolverines captured the national championship this season. Florida returns its top contributors – Haugh, Condon, Chinyelu, Boogie Fland, Urban Klavzar and Isaiah Brown. The Gators also could add Denzel Aberdeen to the lineup after he transferred back to Florida from Kentucky. Aberdeen is seeking eligibility based on limited action during his freshman season.
