As the 2026 NBA Draft approaches, talent evaluators are continuously reranking and reworking their top overall prospects. Some are bound to slide down while others jump the line.<\/p>\n
In Florida Gators<\/a> forward Thomas Haugh<\/a>\u2019s case, he took a small step forward in ESPN\u2019s 2026 NBA draft big board rankings: Top 100 prospects<\/a> released last Tuesday, ranking as the No. 13 overall prospect.\u00a0<\/p>\n Haugh previously slotted in at No. 14 for ESPN\u2019s Jeremy Woo. However, after showing consistency on both ends of the court throughout the early parts of December, Woo feels Haugh has validated all the offseason buzz he carried into the 2025-26 campaign.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cHaugh has validated his offseason buzz, stepping up as Florida’s best player and frequently carrying the Gators,\u201d Woo wrote, \u201che doesn’t waste dribbles and does most of his damage in the flow of the game. Couple his offensive growth with steady defense and high energy, and he’s the type of connective, versatile player who should give an NBA rotation an immediate boost.\u201d<\/p>\n There is an argument for Haugh to go higher, but it does not help him that his age on draft night is 23. Nonetheless, he has immediate plug-and-play value for playoff teams tasked with navigating the salary cap, which improves his draft stock, said Woo.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThe fact Haugh will be 23 on draft night hurts his perceived upside, but should make him appealing to teams looking to compete in the short term,\u201d Woo said. \u201cThe added value in finding plug-and-play players on rookie deals in the second-apron era should ultimately bolster his case.\u201d<\/p>\n The junior forward is averaging 17.3 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game on 48.6\/33.8\/73.5 shooting splits this season.\u00a0<\/p>\n He started the year off with a statement in the loss to Arizona. Despite falling short to the Wildcats, Haugh poured in 27 points and made 12 of his 14 free throw attempts. He also had two steals and a block.\u00a0<\/p>\n Then, in a road matchup with Duke, he scored a team-high 24 points and grabbed six rebounds. He shot 9-for-15 from the field in this one and made two of his five 3-pointers.\u00a0<\/p>\n In Florida\u2019s latest game against Colgate, Haugh supplied 17 points on 5-for-9 shooting. He shot 2-for-5 from deep and 5-for-8 from the line, too.\u00a0<\/p>\n