Draymond Green Just Convinced a Star to Skip the NBA, and Florida Is About to Get Very Dangerous

Thomas Haugh is staying. The Florida forward re-signed with the Gators on Tuesday, and Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green deserves partial credit for that decision. If Todd Golden's team wins it all next season, maybe Green gets a ring.

Here's what went down: former Florida guard and current Warriors rookie Will Richard set up a conversation between Haugh and Green. The Warriors veteran gave Haugh real talk about NBA life versus the college game, and it apparently hit different. "Draymond gave him great perspective on what life in the NBA is like and what life in college is like and how enjoyable it is," Golden said. The message was simple: the NBA isn't going anywhere, but Florida only has one more shot.

The Setup That Changed Everything

Golden waited until Haugh finished vacationing in Hawaii with his girlfriend before orchestrating the pitch. The coach flew to Los Angeles with assistant coaches Carlin Hartman and Jonathan Safir, watched Haugh work out during the offseason, then sat down for lunch. That's when Haugh dropped the news he was staying. "All of us were in great spirits for the rest of the day, and still are as a matter of fact," Golden said.

Haugh's decision matters because of what he brings. The 6-foot-9, 215-pound junior led the Gators in scoring last season, averaging 17.1 points with 6.1 rebounds per game. He added 73 assists, 58 three-pointers, 36 steals and 33 blocks while helping Florida win the SEC title and earn a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Yes, the 2025 national champions lost to Iowa in the second round, and Haugh was devastated after the game. Golden thinks that loss actually pushed him to return. "If we would have made a deep run, we probably wouldn't have as good of a chance of getting it back," Golden said.

Florida Is Reloading for Another Run

Haugh returning is massive, but he's not alone. Teammate and close friend Alex Condon also re-signed last week. Center Rueben Chinyelu is working through the NBA draft process but is eyeing a return to Gainesville for a title run.

Golden is sticking around too. The coach confirmed he's definitely coaching the Gators next season, and Florida already plans to reward him with another raise and extension. Florida has re-signed 10 of its 13 scholarship players from last season. The Gators also landed former Kentucky guard Denzel Aberdeen, a close friend of Haugh, Condon and Chinyelu who will re-enroll to finish his degree while petitioning the NCAA for a fifth year of eligibility.

With this core intact, Florida enters next season as the team to beat in the SEC and potentially the country.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.