CBS Sports broke down the winners and losers of college basketball after the early deadline for the NBA draft came and went last week. Unsurprisingly, the Florida Gators are one of the big winners after retaining the bulk of its starting lineup.
Todd Golden got star wing Thomas Haugh and power forward Alex Condon to stay another year at Florida, and National Defensive Player of the Year Rueben Chinyelu could also return. Guard Boogie Fland is back for a second season in Gainesville, and he’ll start alongside Denzel Aberdeen or Urban Klavzar, depending on an eligibility decision for the former.
“Florida is by far the biggest winner of this early deadline,” wrote Cameron Salerno of CBS Sports. “The Gators unexpectedly got Haugh to return to school, where he projects to be a preseason National Player of the Year candidate on the top-ranked team in the country. “
Haugh, a projected lottery pick, averaged a team-high 17.6 points per game and added 6.1 rebounds per game last year. He was named All-SEC by the Associated Press and conference, and all four major outlets that produce All-America teams included him in one of the lists.
“Haugh’s decision to run it back would’ve been viewed as impossible in the pre-NIL era. For better or worse, NIL has evened the playing field when it comes to the deadline to declare for the NBA draft. The goal for every player is that second NBA contract, where the real money is made. However, Haugh will likely make more money during the 2026-27 season at Florida than he would have as someone drafted in the middle of the first round.”
Florida already had the best frontcourt in the country, and two of the three players are going to return. There’s a good chance Chinyelu also comes back.
Follow us @GatorsWire on X, formerly known as Twitter, as well as Bluesky, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.
This article originally appeared on Gators Wire: Florida basketball a CBS Sports winner of early NBA draft deadline