A new role as a small forward won't alter the emotional game of fiery junior Thomas Haugh, one of the (many) heroes of UF's run to the 2025 NCAA championship last April.
"A lot of the so-called experts, Tommy, aren't sure you can do it."
Haugh simply shrugged at the remark, treating it like an easy pitch.
"Who cares?" he replied with a grin.
Inside the Hathcock Basketball Complex, nobody seemed concerned. The outside critics are likely the same voices who insisted the Gators lacked a point guard last season. And we all saw how that turned out.
Thomas Haugh
It’s safe to say that UF coach Todd Golden and his staff have more than earned the benefit of the doubt when it comes to roster construction, particularly with their success in the transfer portal. Golden also has a clear knack for making things happen on the court, where he remains committed to a two-big system. The vision for Haugh to eventually shift from the paint to the wing has been in place since the Gators signed the lean, energetic, high-motor prospect out of his elite Pennsylvania prep school three years ago. Comparisons to Chandler Parsons began almost immediately.
Now, Haugh’s growth and progression have lined up seamlessly with the position of the third-ranked Gators as they head into the 2025-26 season, opening Monday night against No. 13 Arizona in the Hall of Fame Series at Las Vegas. A large contingent of NBA scouts will be at T-Mobile Arena, many of whom already project Haugh as a small forward at the next level. They conveyed that to him during his brief stint last spring in the NBA evaluation process.
"He's going to be a really impactful player at that spot," UF junior forward and close friend Alex Condon said.
As a freshman, Haugh averaged 3.9 points and 3.7 rebounds in 15 minutes per game. By his sophomore year, he raised those numbers to 9.8 points and 6.1 rebounds, while also boosting his shooting efficiency—improving by 9% from beyond the arc and nearly 34% at the free-throw line. That season, Haugh established himself as one of the nation’s premier sixth men and delivered some of the most crucial shots during the Gators’ remarkable championship run.
Thomas Haugh (right) loads up for a 3-ball in UF's scrimmage defeat of FIU on Oct. 18.
In the team’s two preseason scrimmages this month—victories over Florida International and No. 17 Illinois—Haugh averaged 17.0 points and 6.5 rebounds. He shot 61% from the field, nearly 36% from beyond the arc, and converted all seven of his free throws in his first live action at the wing position, a spot held almost exclusively (and impressively) the past two seasons by guard Will Richard, now with the NBA Golden State Warriors. Haugh’s trademark long, wiry, and relentless defense remained a key part of his game.
"Yeah, it does feel different because I'm out in the corner a lot, but honestly, it's felt pretty natural," said Haugh, who has shifted from the high-low action he played almost exclusively as a freshman and sophomore to ball screens and face-up opportunities outside the paint in halfcourt sets. "At first, it was hard just knowing where to go and finding the right spots, but I'm used to it now."
Golden noted that a casual basketball observer might struggle to distinguish between "Tommy the 4" and "Tommy the 3" because of Haugh’s style of play—always hard, always in the thick of the action.
"You'll see a lot of the same things with Tommy that made him such an impactful, winning player last year," Golden said, adding that Haugh will still see some possessions in the post throughout the season. "Bottom line, he's going to be around the ball a lot. I think his effort, hustle and winning plays will be on display as often as they were before. The one difference may be his propensity for taking more perimeter shots, but other than that a lot of the same things will show up."
One of the biggest changes—perhaps less for Haugh individually than for the team—will be the Gators having three members of what is arguably the nation’s best front court on the floor at once. With Haugh moving to the "3," the team gains that advantage, positioning itself to at least match its standing as the nation’s No. 5 offensive rebounding squad last season (38.5%), and potentially improve with a rotation featuring Haugh, Condon, 6-11, 265-pound Rueben Chinyelu, or 7-1, 265-pound Micah Handlogten logging significant minutes together.
"Just naturally, there probably won't be as many defensive rebound opportunities for him because those [other two bigs] are going to be close to the rim," Golden said. "But I think he'll have plenty of games where he's stuffing the stat sheet in the rebounding column."
Last season, Haugh recorded five double-digit rebounding performances, including a career-best-tying 11 boards in the Elite Eight win over third-seeded and ninth-ranked Texas Tech. He also scored 20 points in that game, knocking down four 3-pointers, with two coming during the rally from a 12-point deficit in the final seven minutes.
Thomas Haugh (10) bombed four 3s, including two clutch ones during the late-second half comeback, on his way to a 20-point, 11-rebound double-double in UF's defeat of Texas Tech in the NCAA West Region title game last March 29 at San Francisco. His dedication to working in the gym showed up in his freshman year (25.4% from 3 and 46.7% from the free-throw line) to sophomore season (34.0 from 3 and 79.4 at the line).
In the analytics realm—where Golden’s Gators thrive—Haugh ranked as the 13th-best player nationally (and sixth in the Southeastern Conference) in overall offensive efficiency. He also placed 206th in the country (6th in SEC) in offensive rebounding percentage at 10.7.
Haugh closed last season fifth on the team in scoring, third in rebounding, fourth in steals and 3-point percentage, and third in blocks, while averaging 24.4 minutes per game. This year, expect Haugh—widely regarded as the best-conditioned athlete on the roster—to log 33-34 minutes per contest, still playing at his trademark 110 mph pace.
"We expect him to be out there a lot," Golden said.
For the Gators to reach their full potential, Haugh must continue to be a perimeter threat. He shot 34.0% from three-point range last season on 103 attempts. By comparison, Richard connected at 35.9% on 223 attempts. The message is clear: keep firing, young man.
"Shooting is what I've really focused on. I have to be really comfortable shooting the ball," said Haugh, who spent the summer in the gym, with the results already evident in live action. "Defenses have to respect my shot. That will open up space, get them to close out and allow me to cut and make plays."
And then, of course, comes the defensive side of the game.
Don't expect a more seasoned and stronger Thomas Haugh to shy away from the new defensive challenges he'll face on the perimeter.
The skeptics mentioned earlier will be watching closely to see how Haugh handles defending more skilled face-the-basket players compared to traditional low-post matchups. That shouldn’t pose a problem. Throughout last season, Haugh was tasked with switching in the halfcourt against opponents across the "1" through "5" positions. Thanks to his size, athleticism, and relentless effort, he’s proven capable of guarding them all. Staying sharp in transition defense against quicker players will also be essential.
"I'll just take it all as a challenge," he said. "Some guys will be quicker, some guys will be bigger. I'm good with all of it."
It’s the perfect response, especially since his team is counting on Haugh to be very good—if not great—in his new role.
Email senior writer Chris Harry at chrish@gators.ufl.edu Find his story archives here.
