Normally, I don’t like the Gators, but when I do …
The expectations for the Florida Gators heading into March Madness are extraordinarily high: so high that they might stand taller than their freshman center, Oliver Rioux. That’s saying a lot considering the guy is a whopping 7 feet 9 inches, which was on full display Sunday. (RELATED: Christian Women’s Hoops Team Achieves Championship Glory Following Trans Opponent Slapping Them With Abuse Allegations)
Florida landed themselves the No. 1 seed in the West portion of the March Madness tournament; Rioux afterward grabbed some headlines himself by cutting down a piece of the net without using a ladder, and he did so with ease. UF cut down the nets after winning the SEC championship against Tennessee.
Having a wingspan of 7 feet 10 inches, Rioux was named the “world’s tallest teenager” when he was 7 feet 5 inches at 15 years old.
WATCH:
7’9″ freshman Olivier Rioux didn’t need a ladder to cut the net 😂 @GatorsMBK pic.twitter.com/UW2sEZUfZP
— SEC Network (@SECNetwork) March 16, 2025
To again put into perspective how truly tall Rioux is, here’s him compared to basketball legend Shaquille O’ Neal:
Shaq met 7’9 freshman Olivier Rioux 🤣 @GatorsMBK
(via ShaqDieselONeal, TikTok) pic.twitter.com/A4PC2fl9eE
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) January 12, 2025
Now y’all know me: I’m a Miami Hurricanes fan and not usually rockin’ with anything associated with the Gators. With March Madness not having much Florida representation this year, however, and the Gators having a legitimate shot at winning the national championship, I’m gonna have to root for these boys to get it done for The Sunshine State.
Let’s do the darn thing, Florida!