Thomas Haugh’s decision to return to Florida after a breakout season last year sent a message throughout college basketball and the NBA as well, providing more ammunition that NIL is changing the sport.
Haugh, consensus All-American forward, announced his return to Gainesville in mid-April despite most projections listing the 6-foot-9-inch forward as a potential lottery pick in the upcoming 2026 NBA Draft.
The person to thank for his decision turned out to be Golden State Warriors veteran big man Draymond Green, who confirmed he suggested Haugh go back to Florida after learning what he could make in NIL. According to CBS Sports’ Matt Norlander, Haugh could exceed $10 million in NIL during the 2026-27 season, with roughly $8 million coming courtesy of the team’s NIL collective, Florida Victorious.
Haugh revealed this in his conversation with Green last week after the Gators started summer workouts. He and Green had a conversation with Warriors rookie Will Richard, who helped Haugh and the Gators win the 2025 national title.
On The Draymond Green Show, Green shared details of his conversation with Haugh, explaining that while NIL played a role, the chance to return to Gainesville and build his legacy with a potential second national championship ultimately influenced the decision.
“We start talking about the number (Haugh) could possibly get if he went back, and when (Richard) told me the number in the millions that he’d make if he stayed at Florida, I was like, ‘Oh, no question he should go back,’” Green recalled this week.
“One thing I told him, ‘Alright, but you’ve got to go do the work. You have to come back (to the NBA) next year better than you are right now. So you gotta go do the work, but I think it’s the right decision to go back to school,’” he added. “I hope he has a great year, I’m praying for his health, and build that draft stock up even higher. Because I think he’s more than capable of doing that.”
Haugh’s decision to return aligned with draft decisions from teammates Alex Condon and Rueben Chinyelu. The front court trio has Florida among the preseason favorites to win the 2027 national championship.
This article originally appeared on Gators Wire: Draymond Green confirms assisting Thomas Haugh’s NBA draft decision
Reporting by Michael Trim Jr, Gators Wire / Gators Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Michael Trim Jr, Gators Wire | USA TODAY Network
