Florida’s Thomas Haugh Reacts to Major Roster News After National Championship

Originally posted on Athlon Sports
By Rowan Fisher-Shotton | Last updated May 19, 2025 4:01 PM ET

As the Florida Gators men’s basketball program celebrates its third NCAA championship, the program prepares for the challenges of the 2025-26 season.

Under third-year head coach Todd Golden, Florida posted a 36-4 overall record, going 14-4 in SEC play, before rallying from a three-point halftime deficit to defeat Houston, 65-63, in the NCAA title game on April 7.

The Gators secured the SEC Tournament championship before that and earned the No. 1 seed in the NCAA West Regional, dispatching Norfolk State, UConn, Maryland, Texas Tech and Auburn en route to the title game in San Antonio.

On Monday, sophomore center Rueben Chinyelu revealed his decision to withdraw from the 2025 NBA draft and return to Gainesville with a “Run It Back” Instagram post.

Among the first to react to the news was his Gators teammate, Thomas Haugh, who replied, "."

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A native of Enugu Agidi, Nigeria, Chinyelu developed his game at the NBA Academy Africa before a freshman season with the Washington State Cougars, where he secured 45 blocks across 35 games, and transferred to Florida in April 2024.

Chinyelu averaged 6.0 points and 6.6 rebounds in 40 starts during his first season with the Gators.

Standing 6-foot-9, Haugh played a critical sixth-man role in 2024-25. Haugh averaged 9.8 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game while shooting 48.5 percent from the floor and 34.0 percent from 3-point range.

In April, Haugh decided to forgo the draft and return to Florida for his junior season.

With Chinyelu and Haugh aboard, Florida remains anchored by two of its top contributors.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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