As the Florida Gators roster took shape in the offseason through the portal it was looking more and more like Todd Golden and his staff weren’t going to be able to fill the perimeter with traditional wing players in the 6’5” to 6’7” range that you’d prototypically see in these rolls. Simply put, there aren’t many of these players available, and the ones that are cost a significant amount.
Additionally, the talented frontcourt position group was set to return everybody, and that was going to mean a lot of competition for minutes at the “4” and “5” spots. This led a lot of people to speculate that lanky forward Thomas Haugh would get some minutes on the wing at the small forward spot, and it was confirmed by head coach Todd Golden who stated that Haugh would start at the “3,” setting up a massive lineup.
Last season there were some opportunities for Haugh to play small forward, though it was in small spurts. There were times where the Gators were giving up too many rebounds and wanted to shore up the glass so they went super big, and also times where foul trouble took out Will Richard and forced Haugh to the three. Ultimately Haugh played 37 total possessions at small forward last year, with the Gators being a strong +16 in that time.
Haugh has flashed moments of ball handling and shooting that has made Florida comfortable with a role for him at small forward, but what will this really look like, and what will the strengths and weaknesses be with the 6’9” Haugh at this spot?
The first strength will certainly be on the glass, where the Gators will look to recreate last season’s success where they bludgeoned just about every opponent on the offensive glass. Considered Florida will already roll out Alex Condon and Rueben Chinyelu, a combo capable of owning the rebounding category on their own, just about anything Haugh provides in that area will be gravy–and that could be the type of gravy that pushes Florida from 5th in offensive rebounding last year to even higher.
Where you’ll help the added length will help even more is on the defensive glass. As much as Florida was talked about as a dominant rebounding team, it was only really true on the offensive glass. The Gators were actually 138th in the country in defensive rebounding rate last season which is good, but far from their offensive rebounding excellence–and they will hope to improve in that category with Haugh helping out from the 3.
Adding more length to the lineup with Haugh at the wing should also make it even more difficult to move the ball around the floor against the Gators. Haugh wasn’t someone who got a ton of steals, but him him on the floor next to Condon and Chinyelu the Gators will have so much length around the floor that any errant pass could be tipped away, something that will be augmented by the length of Xaivian Lee on the perimeter alongside Boogie Fland he is someone who creates a lot of steals with his speed and quick hands.
Just how well Haugh will be able to handle guarding smaller players on the perimeter is a big question, and one that is tough to have an answer for as we go through film. Haugh was fantastic when it came to perimeter defense against face up frontcourt players that he was matched up with, but he seldom had possessions where he had to match up with smaller wing oriented players. Given his length and agility he is likely to do well in this area, but it will be somewhat of a new experience for him and potentially a spot for a major adjustment.
Offensively, Haugh’s perimeter skills that were excellent against frontcourt players will now be tested against smaller, speedier wings. This is where some of the bigger questions come in. As much as Haugh is comfortable handling the ball, he struggled last season to catch and attack the rim–something that is very important for wing players to do. In these situations last year he shot just 29%, struggling to create separation and finish through contact–while sometimes having the ball ripped away. Perimeter play in 2025 is all about being able to catch off a ball reversal and make plays in straight lines, and this isn’t an area Haugh has yet to show a high level of aptitude–though the opportunities have been minimal and it will certainly be something that he is working on as we speak. Luckily, Haugh’s 34% from deep last year on 103 attempts is a good sign when it comes to spacing the floor, and even if he just matches that stroke this year he’ll be in a good spot, though of course he’ll be looking to take it to another level.
The reason there are going to be questions about Haugh at small forward is that a lot of the things he did well from a skill standpoint were considered good for a stretch forward–but now, he needs to do those things well for a wing. Showing flashes of ball handling is great from a power forward, but that ball handling will be expected at all times from a small forward. Shooting 34% from three is excellent from a stretch forward, but it becomes pedestrian from a wing. Haugh playing the 3 will offer him a great chance at success and if he is able to take advantage of it and do well it will not only help the Gators but help Haugh in his dreams of playing in the NBA.
Overall, it is expected that Haugh at small forward will help Florida’s defense but there will be some questions on the offensive end. Look to see how Haugh is able to play off the catch and how he affects Florida’s spacing, and if he’s able to do those things at a good level it will make the Gators’ starting lineup even more lethal.