Florida’s Thomas Haugh is the frontrunner to claim the Southeastern Conference Player of the Year award for the 2026-27 season, according to ESPN’s Myron Medcalf. With the regular college basketball season less than two weeks away, Medcalf’s predictions place the Florida forward at the top of the SEC, setting high expectations for the Gators’ campaign.
Haugh, a four-year player from New Oxford, Pennsylvania, returned to Florida after last season’s NCAA tournament ended abruptly in the second round with an upset loss to Iowa. Speaking at SEC media days, he admitted that he might not have come back if the Gators’ season had gone differently. “During SEC media days, Haugh acknowledged that if his team's season hadn't ended in the second round of last season's NCAA tournament following an upset loss to Iowa, he might not have returned,” Medcalf wrote.
Last year, Haugh earned multiple All-American honors, becoming one of only two Florida players in history to receive recognition from all four consensus selectors. He was named to the All-SEC First Team by coaches and the Associated Press and secured Second-Team All-American status from The Sporting News and the National Association of Basketball Coaches. Additionally, he made the AP and U.S. Basketball Writers Association’s Third Team. His performance last season also saw him finish as a top-five finalist for the 2026 Julius Erving Award.
Medcalf suggests Haugh could reach beyond conference accolades. “If Haugh reaches all of his goals, he could win national player of the year plus a national title and earn a spot in the top 10 of the 2027 NBA Draft,” he said. Florida enters the season as the favorite to win its second national championship in three years, adding pressure and opportunity for Haugh to deliver.
Among Haugh’s competition for the SEC Player of the Year is Vanderbilt’s Tyler Tanner, a guard who averaged 19.5 points and 5.1 assists per game last season. Tanner also shot 37% from three-point range, positioning himself as a significant challenger.
ESPN’s predictions for other major conference players of the year include Flory Bidunga of Louisville for the Atlantic Coast Conference, Silas Demary Jr. of UConn in the Big East, Tyran Stokes of Kansas in the Big 12, and Jeremy Fears Jr. of Michigan State in the Big Ten.
The Florida forward’s journey this season will be closely watched, particularly as he aims to convert last year’s near-misses into tangible success. His leadership will be central to Florida’s hopes of claiming another national title and cementing his place among college basketball’s elite before moving on to the professional ranks.
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According to Yahoo Sports.
