How Florida’s 7-foot-9 freshman became an unlikely March Madness star
Florida won 12 straight games from the start of March through Monday night to capture a national championship, and one player left his stamp on the magical run without ever touching the floor.
Olivier Rioux, Florida’s 7-foot-9 center, took a redshirt year as a freshman this season. The Canada native is the tallest player in NCAA Division I basketball history, and his height was on full display in recent weeks.
After Florida beat Houston 65-63 in the 2025 NCAA Tournament national championship game on Monday night, Rioux cut down his piece of the net without using a ladder. The impressive feat required little effort.
Rioux pulled the same move after the Gators won the SEC Tournament in March.
You may also recognize Rioux from the incredible photo of him standing next to a reporter that went viral earlier in the NCAA Tournament.
Rioux is probably the most well-known player in the country who has never appeared in a game. His massive stature simply cannot be ignored. Though he is not the first player to cut down the nets without using a ladder, he seems to have already perfected the act.
