GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) 鈥� Thomas Haugh鈥檚 return to Florida was a lifestyle decision.
The All-Southeastern Conference forward postponed his chances of becoming an NBA lottery pick last month when he for his senior season. He preferred to live with his best friend and fishing buddy, teammate Alex Condon, for another year, attend college with both of his younger siblings and chase a second national title.
鈥淚 took a while to think about it, probably like three weeks, four weeks,鈥� he said Tuesday. 鈥淚t was close.鈥�
The money played a role, too.
If Haugh would have been drafted 14th overall (the last lottery pick), he would have signed a four-year deal for more than $26 million that would have paid him $5.4 million as a rookie. Instead, he will make roughly $7 million through name, image and likeness deals at Florida for his final year 鈥� with a chance to earn more.
鈥淚t鈥檚 crazy, but it鈥檚 a blessing,鈥� Haugh said, adding that his little sister will keep her part-time job at the O’Connell Center. 鈥淚 can attribute that to the hard work I鈥檝e put in the last couple of years. My parents, the way they raised me, I just want to represent the University of Florida the best I can. They鈥檙e investing that much in me, and I want to invest the same amount of time and practice and hard work back to the university.鈥�
Haugh spent a week in Hawaii with his girlfriend contemplating his decision and credited friends, family members, coaches and even with talking him through it. Haugh and Green spent 45 minutes on the phone discussing college versus the pros.
鈥淗e said he would come back,鈥� Haugh said.
But maybe the most influential conversation was one that took place between Haugh鈥檚 mother, Jennifer, and Walter Clayton鈥檚 mom, Cherie. Walter Clayton, an NBA rookie this season, got traded from Utah to Memphis in February, and the former Florida star averaged 7.8 points a game off the bench.
鈥淭he NBA life is no joke,鈥� Haugh said. 鈥淚 think my mom didn鈥檛 really realize that until she talked to Walt鈥檚 mom a little bit. Like, you can get traded any day of the week. You鈥檙e not out there getting dinners with your guys every night or going on fun trips and stuff like that. It鈥檚 a job.
鈥淔or my mom, it kind of put it into perspective. She was on my back, 鈥楬ey, we might want to think about going back.鈥欌��
Haugh鈥檚 return is expected to make the Gators in the country. They return 11 players from last year鈥檚 team 鈥� everyone except guard Xaivian Lee and backup center Micah Handlogten 鈥� and hope to get another year of eligibility for former Florida and Kentucky guard .
Florida opened practice Monday, and Haugh said there鈥檚 not the normal 鈥渁wkwardness鈥� to having a bunch of new teammates. But it comes with different challenges.
鈥淚 think it just makes expectations even higher,鈥� he said. 鈥淟ast year we had the pressure of the national championship on our back. But I think we have the same thing this year again 鈥� it鈥檚 national championship or bust for this team.
鈥淏ut we鈥檙e mature enough. We have a really old group now, so I think we鈥檙e going to be really comfortable coming in this season.鈥�
The 6-foot-9, 215-pound Haugh led Florida in scoring last season, averaging 17.1 points, to go along with 6.1 rebounds a game as a junior. He also totaled 73 assists, 58 3-pointers, 36 steals and 33 blocked shots while helping the Gators win the SEC title and secure a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
The 2025 national champions in the second round of the tournament, a sour ending following a standout season. Coach Todd Golden said last month that outcome 鈥� Haugh was sobbing after the game 鈥� was pivotal in getting Haugh back alongside Condon and fellow big man Rueben Chinyelu.
鈥淚f we would have made a deep run, we probably wouldn鈥檛 have as good of a chance of getting it back,鈥� Golden said. 鈥淚 think that鈥檚 reality; that鈥檚 human nature. And I think that kind of pours into his competitiveness and the legacy that he wants to leave here at Florida.鈥�
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