He grew up idolizing Tim Tebow, but now Florida’s Thomas Haugh is carving his own legacy during Final Four run

Florida star Thomas Haugh is living out the childhood dream of thousands, having grown up a fan of the Gators because of Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow. Now, Haugh is carving own legacy in Gainesville after being one of the heroes of Florida’s dramatic comeback win over No. 3 seed Texas Tech in the NCAA Tournament’s Elite Eight.

Haugh matched his career high in points (20) during one of the most memorable postseason games in Florida basketball history. Haugh and star guard Walter Clayton Jr. combined to score 14 of Florida’s final 18 points over three minutes. Florida outscored Texas Tech 18-4 during that stretch after trailing by as many as 10 points in the final six minutes of regulation.

With the comeback complete and a trip to the Final Four on the horizon, Haugh had one specific request.

“Hopefully, I get to meet [Tebow] one day,” Haugh told CBS Sports. 

With the way Haugh played in a win-or-go-home scenario against the Red Raiders, it wouldn’t be surprising if people wanted to meet him. Without Haugh, Clayton’s clutch shot doesn’t happen, and Florida’s dream season ends before the final weekend of the NCAA Tournament. Instead, Haugh and his team are now preparing to face No. 1 seed Auburn in Saturday’s national semifinal in San Antonio.

Haugh, who averages 9.5 points and 6.0 rebounds, may not have eye-popping stats on paper but is as integral as any player on this Florida roster. When fellow big man Alex Condon went down with an ankle injury against Maryland in the Sweet 16, Haugh stepped into the starting role before he returned midway through the second half.

Condon and Haugh arrived at Florida together. Both players ranked as three-star recruits in the 2023 recruiting cycle and weren’t heavily sought after by high-major programs. Haugh got interest from programs in the CAA, SoCon and Atlantic 10 before power-conference programs came calling late in his recruitment. Haugh grew up with posters of Tebow on his wall, so his commitment wasn’t a recruiting upset by any means when the Gators offered him a scholarship.

Haugh is good enough to be a starter at most high-major programs. Instead, he plays a crucial role off the bench as a backup forward/center behind Condon and Washington State transfer Rueben Chinyelu, who has started all 38 games this season.

Micah Handlogten was Florida’s starting center last season before he suffered a gruesome leg injury in the SEC title game last year. Handlogten missed most of this season but returned to play in 14 games off the bench as a reinforcement for one of the deepest frontcourts in the country. 

“Coach (Carlin) Hartman does a great job preparing us for these moments,” Haugh said. “We knew back in the summer we had a team capable of making this run. We put it all together, and our coaching staff is amazing. I love those guys.”

Florida ranks 17th in 2-point field goal percentage allowed (46.2%) and was No. 5 in offensive rebounding percentage (38.9%). Both stats are a testament to how the Gators can wear down teams — like Texas Tech — down the stretch because of their sheer depth. When Condon or Chinyelu head to the bench, Florida has the luxury of throwing another bruiser on the floor that can match up with anyone down low.

Condon and Haugh have both received legitimate NBA Draft buzz throughout the season. CBS Sports NBA Draft Analyst Adam Finkelstein has Condon going No. 30 overall to the Los Angeles Clippers in his latest mock draft. If Haugh enters the draft this year, he projects as a Day 2 pick. He could improve his stock even more if he returns to school for another season.

“It’s exceptional how much depth we have,” Condon told CBS Sports. “We play at such a high pace for the majority of the game, so we can play any different guys. It’s an advantage we have over a lot of other teams.”

Walter Clayton Jr.’s cocksure March Madness shot that lifted Florida to the Final Four? Nobody was surprised

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All four of Florida’s key frontcourt players have something in common: They weren’t highly touted high school prospects. Chinyelu was the most decorated recruit of the four and ranked as a four-star prospect in the 2023 recruiting cycle. Handlogten was unranked in high school but became a four-star recruit when he entered the transfer portal after one season at Marshall in 2023.

The roster construction of one of the best frontcourts in the country is unique compared to other teams still playing. Duke’s starting frontcourt is headlined Khaman Maluach and Cooper Flagg, both of whom were consensus five-star prospects and will likely be top-10 picks in the NBA Draft this summer. The Blue Devils’ 2024 recruiting class ranked No. 1 in the country.

The ability to identify hidden gems — such as Haugh — is why Florida is still alive as the program aims for its first national title since 2007. Golden’s recruiting approach, which started at the mid-major level, is part of the unique aspect of the NCAA Tournament: It doesn’t matter if you’re a projected No. 1 overall pick or a former zero-star recruit, anything can happen in March.

“I don’t care that these guys weren’t highly ranked,” Golden said on the TV broadcast shortly after advancing to the Final Four. “They’re badass players, and now they’re heading to the Final Four.”