Florida Gators standout Thomas Haugh could be cashing in on a major payday sooner rather than later. And it's one that will make him the highest-paid college basketball player in history.
The NIL era has been a huge part of the sport, and Haugh stands to outperform all of his peers in it.
Haugh's earnings at Florida could exceed a whopping $10 million for the 2026-27 season, according to Matt Norlander of CBS Sports. But that money won't be coming from branding deals alone, according to Norlander.
Most of it is coming from the university itself -- something that has become one of the biggest controversies since NIL began.
“Haugh will make huge money off of his Actual name/image/likeness (what a concept!) due to his stature: 4-yr [Gator] + nat’l champ + All [American] + preseason POY," Norlander wrote in a post his "X" account.
Sources added he might clear $10 million b/c of how big he is in Gainesville. Majority of NIL [money] will come via 3rd-party deals, not UF."
This report was further confirmed by Sam Vecenie of The Athletic, who made clear a large amount of money would be one of the most enticing things to make sure Haugh remained with the Gators for another season.
"Sources familiar with the decision (are) projecting that he’s in line to make around what he’d earn in his first two NBA seasons combined if he’d been drafted in the top 20 in this year’s draft," Vecenie wrote.
Thomas Haugh's decision to forgo the NBA Draft was about more than money
Well, it's not all about the money. That's what Thomas Haugh says.
He claims the appeal of taking the court one more time with his teammates and the possibility to put even more quality tape out was what drove him to stay in Gainesville, though it is hard to look away from the fact becoming the highest-paid player in his respective sport is quite the motive.
“Most guys in my position in the draft, it would be a no-brainer to go to the NBA,” Haugh said in an interview with ESPN. “It’s not just the NIL. It’s a chance to play with my boys... to go to the school I love to play for. It was definitely a tougher decision than last year, but it was best for my career and future.”
Haugh played a key role for the Gators on the court during the 2025-26 season, averaging 17.1 points and 6.1 rebounds. He's consistently risen throughout his career, going from an occasional playmaker to a mainstay for Florida en route to earning multiple accolades, including All-SEC First-Team honors.
It will be interesting to watch how Haugh continues to build on what's already been a storied career between being a part of a national championship-winning team and being an All-American.
But one thing that's for sure is that he'll be sitting pretty financially in the midst of it all.
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