Thomas Haugh’s decision to come back to Florida turned heads across college basketball, and it may end up shaping the 2026-27 NBA Draft picture in a big way.
The New Oxford, Pennsylvania native was widely expected to leave for the 2026 NBA Draft after another standout run in Gainesville. Instead, after plenty of deliberation and some downtime in Hawaii, Haugh chose to return for his senior season. That move gives Florida a major piece back as the Gators are expected to open the year as the nation’s No. 1 team in the preseason, with Alex Condon, Rueben Chinyelu and Urban Klavzar also running it back, plus the program’s reunion with Denzel Aberdeen.
Haugh’s junior season made the case for an early jump. After moving to the three, he was a Consensus Second-Team All-American and a First-Team All-Southeastern Conference pick by both coaches and the Associated Press. He led the team with 17.1 points per game while shooting 46 percent from the field and 32.6 percent from three, and he added 6.1 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.1 steal and one block across 34 appearances.
That production had him projected by multiple outlets as a lottery pick in what was viewed as a top-heavy draft. The money and the chance to lock in a spot at the highest level made the decision look obvious to many observers. Haugh still went the other way.
Florida’s push to keep him included some important conversations behind the scenes. During his decision process, Haugh’s mother spoke with Walter Clayton Jr.’s mother about what life is like at the next level, and Haugh also talked with Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green in a conversation set up by former Gator Will Richard.
“They had a great conversation,” UF head coach Todd Golden said of Haugh’s conversation with Green. “And I think that got him kind of thinking.
And then, you know, I reached out to him and asked him for the opportunity to go out and meet him in L.A. when he got back, took Carlin (Hartman) and Jonathan (Safir) out there with us, with me. And, you know, we were hoping that this was kind of going our way over the past week, but he wasn't really giving us a whole lot as he was lounging in Hawaii.
And then he gets back and you know, we met in L.A. and again, like we felt 48 hours before that it was starting to shift our way a little bit, but I didn't want to take anything for granted,” Golden said. “We watched them work out and had lunch with them, and he gave us the great news, and obviously all of us were in great spirits for the rest of the day - and still are for a matter of fact.”
Florida has already finished summer workouts and now has nearly a month away from the court before returning in late August to keep building toward the 2026-27 season. That campaign will be the final one for the group of returners.
For Haugh, the choice comes with real stakes. His play this season could push him higher or lower on draft boards in 2027. CBS Sports listed him among the 10 players most capable of boosting their stock this year, and the case is easy to see.
He’s one of the highest-paid players in college basketball, and CBS Sports called him the best and most unexpected retention of the offseason. The outlet noted that he likely would have been a top 20 pick had he stayed in the draft, called his return “almost unprecedented,” and said he should be the favorite to win national player of the year.
CBS Sports also described him as “the ultimate Swiss Army knife” and said he will be the best player on the projected preseason top-ranked team in the sport. If he makes another leap as Florida’s top scoring option, CBS Sports wrote, he has a strong case to be a top 10 pick next summer.
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