Overview
- Haugh announced Tuesday he will return to Florida for 2026–27, despite projections that placed him as a potential lottery pick and No. 13 on ESPN’s draft board.
- He is expected to earn revenue-share pay plus NIL endorsements that ESPN reports are comparable to mid–first-round rookie money, which coach Todd Golden said reflects Haugh’s strong market value at Florida.
- Haugh said loyalty and fit drove the call, citing a desire to play for Todd Golden and with teammates, and he reconsidered after the Gators’ NCAA tournament loss to Iowa.
- With Haugh back alongside returnees Alex Condon, Boogie Fland and Urban Klavzar, multiple outlets project Florida as an early preseason No. 1, while center Rueben Chinyelu is testing the draft but kept his college eligibility.
- The decision is rare in modern college hoops, with ESPN noting Haugh is the highest-ranked projected lottery player to return since Miles Bridges in 2017, after a junior year that averaged 17.1 points and earned All-American and All-SEC honors.