The friendship of Florida rising sophomore forwards Alex Condon and Thomas Haugh started with a trip to Delaware and an eight-foot tiger shark.
The two young guns each played integral roles in UF’s run to the NCAA Tournament this past season, but the bond they share dates all the way back to summer 2023.
“I was just moving in, a pretty innocent freshman… fresh off the boat from Australia,” Condon said. “I met Tommy, and we both shared a pretty hard work ethic… [He] has been pretty awesome for me, just adapting to the U.S. environment.”
Before either started classes at UF, Haugh invited his teammate-to-be to a weekend at his family’s beach house. When the two hit the open water, Condon caught an eight-foot tiger shark.
“We went out on the ocean and caught a big old fish on the beach,” Haugh said. “I let him reel it in, you know, I had to.”
As Condon brought his catch ashore and Haugh stared in astonishment, the two forged an unbreakable connection that shaped their early Florida careers.
“We just like bouncing off of each other when we both check into a game,” Condon said. “I think we both know that we have each other’s back and have a high level of energy.”
Despite traveling two completely different routes to land in Gainesville, the pairing hit it off quickly.
Coming in from across the globe, Condon competed in Australian football and water polo before focusing in on his basketball skills. Meanwhile, Haugh grew up in New Oxford, Pennsylvania, eventually leading his hometown Perkiomen School Panthers to a high school state basketball championship.
Haugh and Condon always shared one vision: their desire to suit up in orange and blue.
Haugh has had his eyes set on the Gators for as long as he can remember, namely due to the program’s success in college football. He cited Tim Tebow as one of his favorite athletes growing up.
“I loved college football growing up, so that was the glory days of Florida football,” Haugh said. “I guess you could call me a bandwagon, but I started watching, I watched all the championships and I think I liked the colors mainly when I was little. That’s what made me like Florida.”
While he may have started out as a self-proclaimed bandwagoner, Haugh’s love for the Gators never wavered. In both his and Condon’s commitment to their crafts, the two have already made an impact off the court, providing a valuable presence in the locker room and practice facility.
Condon led the Gators in blocks per game last season (1.3). He also ranked third on the team in rebounds per game (6.4). Haugh blossomed in the back half of the 2024 campaign as well, scoring a career-high 17 points against the Georgia Bulldogs last February.
With the program’s foundation set and all the pieces in place, Golden and the Gators are turning their attention to the fall slate of their 2024-25 season. Florida is coming off its most successful campaign in seven years, having finished last season with a 24-12 record and an appearance in the SEC Tournament Championship.
Now sporting a year of successful experience under their belts, Condon and Haugh will see their fair share of reps this coming season. Fans and analysts expect Condon to start in place of rising junior center Micah Handlogten, who plans to redshirt the 2024-25 season after fracturing his lower left leg last March. Even with Handlogten sidelined, Condon expressed his optimism for the potential of Florida’s frontcourt this season.
“I think we brought in some pretty good pieces, especially the bigs,” Condon said. “I think we’re going to put a lot of pressure on the rim, and our rebounding is going to be elite.”
Haugh is expected to receive significant minutes off the bench, largely in part due to his versatile skill set with the ability to score the ball at all three levels, skills to defend multiple positions and the tenacity to rebound at a high level.
“Whatever coach told me to do, if my role is to go guard, go hit shots, just get to the lane, [I’ll] do whatever he says,” Haugh said. “[I want] to get more comfortable offensively, be able to get outside the three and play the guard a little bit.”
UF Assistant Coach John Andrzejek said the two up-and-comers have already proven themselves as prime representatives of UF basketball culture.
“Condon and Haugh are two guys that have a huge impact on culture,” Andrzejek said. “They set a really high bar for what it means to play harder. They’re super competitive, super physical, hard players and [they are] dudes that go to exhaustion.”
No matter what this upcoming season holds, the future remains bright for Florida’s two up-and-coming stars. Condon and Haugh continue to find new ways to push each other and keep growing this offseason.
And, for all anyone knows, there may be another tiger shark in the future for the two aspiring sportsmen.
Contact Jack Meyer at jmeyer@alligator.org. Follow him on X @jackmeyerUF.
Jack Meyer is a third-year journalism major and a sports reporter for The Alligator. In his free time, he enjoys running, spending time with friends, playing video games, and watching the Miami Heat and Miami Dolphins.
