Thomas Haugh takes the wheel at Florida with his sights set on NBA

After a modest freshman campaign in Gainesville, Florida Gators forward Thomas Haugh really came alive as a sophomore — especially down the stretch. Haugh's role and responsibilities gradually expanded as the season progressed. By the time March Madness rolled around, he was an essential contributor to the Gators' national championship run.

Now, after an offseason with considerable roster turnover, Haugh steps into the spotlight as a cornerstone piece of the defending champs. If Florida wants to repeat — and yes, this team is capable of it — Haugh will be front and center. He is arguably the Gators' best player at this point, with a well-rounded skill set that is bound to capture the imagination of NBA Draft scouts.

The modern NBA is all about the intersection of size and skill. Haugh, at 6-foot-9, blends shooting, passing and connective traits in an extremely compelling fashion. Haugh declined to test the NBA waters in 2025, but he will generate legitimate first round buzz going into 2025-26. If he delivers on the hype and scales up well to a more central role, which trusts him to create off the bounce and defend all over the positional spectrum, his stock could rise to previously unimaginable heights.

A three-star recruit out of Pennsylvania who picked Florida over more barren programs like Georgia Tech and Northwestern, Haugh clearly had a vision of building slowly over time at a premium school in college basketball's most talent-rich conference. That bet on his talent — and the bet on starting in a fringe role at Florida, rather than taking center stage at, say, Boston College — is about to pay off.

Let's dive into his NBA Draft outlook as things sit.

Thomas Haugh NBA Draft bio

Height: 6'9
Weight: 210 lbs.
Birthdate: July 7, 2003
Position: Forward
Offensive Role: Spacer/Connector
Defensive Role: Switchable Wing
Projected Draft Range: 10-30

NBA Draft highlights

Strengths

Haugh checks a ton of boxes on the wing. His primary strength is versatility, on both ends, as he should fit comfortably into virtually any scheme or personnel group at the next level. At 6-foot-9, he can guard five positions on a regular basis, with the hip flexibility and lateral quickness to slide his feet with guards and the range to sink down low and contest bigs at the rim. He still needs to add muscle to hang with more physical forwards and centers in the NBA, but Haugh's switchable defense will be a huge selling point for scouts.

Perhaps his greatest attribute as a defender, however, are Haugh's instincts off the ball. He's constantly phasing into passing lanes, swerving over for weak-side blocks or hammering the defensive glass with intent. He possesses a keen nose for the basketball and he puts forth maximum effort on each possession. It's a treat to watch.

As for the offense, Haugh definitely isn't a No. 1 guy — not yet, at least. But he should take quickly to a complementary role at the next level. He shoots a respectable volume from 3-point range, with mechanics that project reasonably well toward even more volume in 2025-26. He's such a fluid athlete, too, allowing him to attack close outs with long, coordinated strides and tight spin moves. Haugh isn't a shifty on-ball weapon, but he can mix speeds, put his back to the basket, and win one-on-one with advanced footwork.

His finishing package around the rim is remarkably advanced for someone his size. Haugh put down his share of emphatic, exclamatory dunks for the Gators last season, but he can also finesse it from below the rim. Haugh converts layups at funky angles and displays touch that should generate even more confidence in his outlook as a shooter. He doesn't really have a pull-up in his bag yet, but Haugh drives with a purpose and operates with tremendous spatial awareness.

His numbers stack up incredibly well against prospects in a similar mold. Florida's offense was pure gasoline with Haugh on the court last season. He does all the small things (and enough of the big things) to make life easier on his teammates and elevate the collective.

Haugh's passing is his most underrated (and at times most impactful) skill. He's not swinging cross-court dimes out of the pick-and-roll, but he makes such quick decisions off the catch. Some of Haugh's bounce passes with his back to the basket are sublime. He knows where the cutters and the open shooters are and he can thread passes through tight windows after a split-second of processing. As Haugh continues to command more on-ball reps for the Gators, he should see his playmaking numbers spike even further. It's a bridge too far to dub Haugh a point forward, but he can certainly probe the soft spot of a defense and function as a passing hub.

Also underrated: Haugh was 35th in the nation in free throw rate last season. Despite his thin frame, Haugh will drive the lane with intent and willingly absorb contact. Those funky, off-beat finishes often allow him to get up a clean shot despite being fouled. Few stats are more encouraging when attempting to decipher upside than a high free throw rate. If defenders can't stop you without fouling, the advantages are manifold.

Weaknesses

Haugh's well-roundedness will play well at the next level, but he's not a perfect prospect. He's 22 years old and he's just now graduating into a more central role at Florida. It's fair to wonder how far along Haugh is on the developmental curve and whether he can even transcend his current role player trappings (not that he needs to to become a quality NBA player, though).

Strength will be a concern for Haugh at the next level, especially since he's an older prospect. He's not blessed with outlier tools — 6-foot-9 with a rumored 6-foot-11 wingspan. Haugh plays incredibly hard on defense and he isn't afraid of contact on either end, but the NBA is a different beast. There will be athletes who overwhelm him and compromise Haugh in ways he just won't experience in the SEC.

The 3-point shooting, again, projects fairly well, but Haugh only hit 34.0 percent of his 3s on modest volume as a sophomore (up from 25.5 percent as a freshman). It's still a work in progress. Haugh's mechanics are fine for open spot-ups, but he needs a second to load up and he's a bit rigid with his shot. There isn't much of a pull-up game to speak of as a result, which would go a long way toward unlocking his full offensive potential. If Haugh can speed up his release and really establish a rhythm with his jumper, scouts will flock in his direction.

Haugh has all the trappings of a stellar NBA role player. The only real question, at this point, is whether or not he can reach a higher gear. He is selfless in his approach and perfectly at-home in a connective role, but Haugh will be tested more this season as a go-to weapon for the Gators. We shall see how he handles those pressures, which may inform how he handles the pressures of the NBA.

Final summary

Haugh steps into an elevated role in his junior season with the Gators. He worked his way onto NBA radars as a sophomore, but this is Haugh's chance to really make his case as a first round — even a lottery-level — prospect. Florida has two excellent guards in the backcourt in Boogie Fland and Xaivian Lee, which should make Haugh's life easier. Alex Condon's rim protection empowers him to smother the perimeter on defense. Florida is going to be a damn good team.

While Haugh has never been a featured star, at least not at the college level, he has a broad skill set that should be able to handle a bit more usage. Florida has every reason to test Haugh early and see how far he can carry them. He probably won't become a go-to scorer in the same way as others on that list of archetypal comparisons — he's not Jayson Tatum or even Franz Wagner — but when it comes to being a potential secondary piece, beating close outs, whipping passes out of the high post, and scoring out in transition, Haugh checks all the boxes. And he demands your attention.