Coming into the 2025-26 season, one of the bigger suplots for the Gators would be whether or not Thomas Haugh was ready for a starting role and whether or not he would fit with Florida’s rotation. After spending last season as a rotational guy, the Gators came into the new season with the plan of Haugh playing the three spot while Alex Condon played the four.
The end result is that Haugh has transformed into one of the best players in the country and Todd Golden made sure to highlight Haugh after another solid outing against Georgia.
Thomas Haugh scores 21 points against Georiga
Even in the NBA, not every team is employing a 6’9” guy to play their three spot on the floor. And even last year, the Gators relied more on three true guards, with Haugh rotating in for Alex Condon.
Golden noted his evolution on Tuesday night after Haugh had 21 points, 12 rebounds, five assists, four blocks, and three steals in 36 minutes of action:
“He’s turned himself into one of the better players in America. Has gone from a hard-playing, role player as a freshman to a really, really good complementary piece as a sophomore to now just taking off.
I mean, a guy who’s going to hear his name called in probably five or six months. And it’s a testament to his work, his belief, his coachability. He’s incredibly coachable. Too coachable sometimes.
I want him to yell at his teammates sometimes and be more of a vocal leader, but he’s an incredible leader by example, and he is what a Gator is, man, he’s great for our program.”
Haugh really started to catch the eye of Gator fans last season, down the stretch as Condon was struggling. His first real breakout performance was the 16-point afternoon he had when Florida took down then No. 1 Auburn, but it was his 20 points in the Elite Eight against Texas Tech, which included two massive back-to-back threes, that saved Florida’s national title run.
As Golden alluded to, if Haugh keeps playing at this level down the stretch in 2026, he is a near lock to be a first-round pick in the NBA Draft.