7-foot-9 Florida center Olivier Rioux goes viral after unique approach cutting down net

Even in a game of modern giants, University of Florida freshman Olivier Rioux stands tall.

The Canadian center, now listed at 7-foot-9, caught college basketball fans' attention watching the Gators win the SEC Championship following the game when he stepped up to cut down a piece of the net. Where his peers and coaches used a ladder, Rioux stood on the floor, reaching up with a pair of scissors.

Known as the tallest teenager in the world, Rioux was cheered by the Florida-affiliated people who surrounded him as he got a piece of the twine. Watch here, courtesy of the SEC Network:

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

Florida men's basketball beat Tennessee 86-77 to win the SEC championship on Sunday, finishing the season 30-4 and shifting its focus to March Madness.

Rioux is redshirting this season, and when he plays next year, he will be the tallest in Div. I history, according to ESPN.

He's long been the tallest player on the court. Take a look back at his growth and prep years:

Olivier Rioux in school

By the age of 8, Rioux was 6-foot-1 and playing basketball. He reached 6-foot-11 in sixth grade and hit the 7-foot mark in the summer before seventh grade. Much of his basketball education came under Pascal Jobin, who coached at Cégep Édouard Montpetit and McGill University, Rioux told USA TODAY High School Sports in December 2023.

Much of Rioux's high school experience came on the international stage, as he played in the 2021 FIBA U16 Americas Championship, 2022 FIBA U17 World Cup, 2023 U18 FIBE AmeriCup and 2023 FIBA U19 World Cup, according to his Florida bio. He played at IMG Academy, where he split time between the IMG Varsity Blue roster and the program's national team.

Here are international stats listed on his Florida bio:

2021 FIBA U16 Americas Championship: 8.3 points and 10.3 rebounds over six games
2022 FIBA U17 World Cup: 2.7 points and 4.7 rebounds per game
2023 FIBA U19 World Cup: 3.2 points and 3.4 rebounds per game in five appearances
2023 U18 FIBA AmeriCup: 4.5 points and 4.5 rebounds per game, helping Canada win a bronze medal

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY High School Sports Wire: Florida's 7-foot-9 Olivier Rioux doesn't need a ladder to cut down net

Topics

Watch: Florida 7-foot-9 freshman Olivier Rioux doesn't need ladder to cut down net

Olivier Rioux, Florida's 7-foot-9 freshman, did not require a ladder to cut down the net following the Gators' SEC tournament championship.
Yahoo Sports - 16h
WATCH: Dog goes viral for cuddling

Justice the dog is a trained emotional support animal who went viral for cuddling after his owner posted a video on TikTok.
ABC News - 1d
Celtics' Kristaps Porzingis expected to return vs. Nets after missing last eight games with mystery illness

Porzingis was dealing with a viral illness that the team could not identify
CBS Sports - 1d
Why were Trump's remarks from the Justice Department unique, jarring?

President Trump delivered remarks from the Department of Justice on Friday, a unique venue for the president to speak from. CBS News senior White House correspondent Weijia Jiang breaks down why.
CBS News - 2d
Florida Gators baseball heads to Tennessee for weekend series with undefeated Volunteers

After taking down one unbeaten, top-10 program during the week, Florida is set for a three-game battle with another, the No. 2 Tennessee Volunteers.
Yahoo Sports - 2d
Sources: Vikes to cut center Bradbury if no trade

The Vikings are planning to release center Garrett Bradbury unless a trade can be worked out, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter.
ESPN - 3d
High school track athlete facing battery charge after viral video of competitor hit with baton

A Virginia high school track athlete is facing a misdemeanor charge following a viral video of her at a meet where her competitor gets struck in the head with a baton.
NBC News - 3d
March Madness 2025: College basketball conference tournament predictions, picks, odds, sleepers, upsets

Conference tournaments get underway this week for the top leagues and our experts pick who will be cutting down the nets
CBS Sports - 6d
Mom worries about daughter with Down Syndrome after Education Department cuts

Hope Katz Zogby, a 7th grader in Baltimore, gets speech therapy and occupational therapy she receives onsite at her local charter school -- programs made possible through funding from the Education ...
CBS News - 4d
Breaking down NASA's SpaceX mission launch from Kennedy Space Center

NASA launched SpaceX's Crew-10 mission from the Kennedy Space Center. A Falcon-9 rocket is carrying four astronauts to the International Space Station where they will meet astronauts Suni Williams ...
CBS News - 2d
How Duke basketball shook off a nightmare scenario to secure ACC Tournament championship

Duke basketball faced what seemed to be an overwhelming amount of adversity in its ACC Tournament opener. The Blue Devils still cut down the nets.
Yahoo Sports - 23h
Florida basketball takes down Tennessee Volunteers to claim SEC Tournament championship

For the fifth time in program history, the Florida Gators are SEC Tournament champions, following a convincing win over the Tennessee Volunteers.
Yahoo Sports - 17h
Trump to attend Kennedy Center board meeting after takeover

President Trump will visit the Kennedy Center on Monday for a tour and to attend a board meeting weeks after overhauling the cultural institution's leadership and installing himself as its ...
The Hill - 46m
‘Go Cubs Go’ plays at Tokyo Dome after Cubs’ 4-2 win. Up next: Opening day vs. Dodgers.

TOKYO — Chicago Cubs left-hander Matthew Boyd stays focused on checking all the boxes. Keeping his delivery sound. Staying behind the baseball. Driving down on the pitch. And in Sunday’s unique ...
Yahoo Sports - 15h
Suns' Mason Plumlee, Rockets' Steven Adams ejected after fight breaks out early in matchup in Houston

The two centers locked up while jostling for position in the paint before suddenly throwing each other down to the court at the Toyota Center.
Yahoo Sports - 4d
Kristaps Porziņġis 'hoping for a healthy return soon' while dealing with viral illness

The All-Star center has missed seven games now for the Celtics while dealing with the illness.
Yahoo Sports - 5d
Fed chief Jay Powell plays down growth worries after jobs report disappoints

Chair says US central bank in no ‘hurry’ to cut interest rates at end of turbulent week for Wall Street
Financial Times - Mar. 7
Nets rally to beat Hawks, snap 3-game skid

NEW YORK — The Brooklyn Nets took care of business on Sunday, with complete disregard for NBA Draft lottery odds, defeating the Atlanta Hawks 122-114 at Barclays Center on the second night of a ...
Yahoo Sports - 10h
Everything Nate Oats said after Alabama’s loss to Florida

Alabama coach Nate Oats spoke to reporters after the Crimson Tide’s 104-82 loss to Florida on Friday.
Yahoo Sports - 1d
'Hamilton' cancels Kennedy Center run after Trump takeover

'Hamilton' creator Lin-Manuel Miranda said he doesn't want the show to play at what he called the 'Trump Kennedy Center.'
Los Angeles Times - Mar. 5
Expected Mega-Star Of March Madness Goes Down With 'Unfortunate' Injury

Duke freshman Cooper Flagg, expected to be the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft if he enters, severely rolled his ankle.
Yahoo Sports - 2d
Ducks Ryan Strome Speaks on Pair of Viral Incidents

Forward Ryan Strome is in the midst of his best season as a member of the Anaheim Ducks. After notching back-to-back 41-point seasons in 2022-23 and 2023-24, he has 37 points (10-27=37) through his ...
Yahoo Sports - 2d
5th anniversary of COVID cancellations brings back painful memories for teams, NCAA officials

Robert Morris coach Andrew Toole stood next to the staging area near midcourt Tuesday night, the confetti strewn around him as the jubilant Colonials players danced, mingled with fans and climbed ...
ABC News - 4d
Women’s March Madness projections 2025: Full NCAA Tournament bracket odds

Welcome to ’s 2025 women’s NCAA Tournament projections, where you’ll find every team’s chances of advancing through each weekend of March Madness and cutting down the nets in Tampa on April 6. ...
Yahoo Sports - 9h
March Madness 2025: Power ranking the 16 top contenders to win the women's NCAA tournament

If history is any indication, there's a good chance one of the four No. 1 seeds will be cutting down the nets in Tampa. But there are plenty of other talented teams in the NCAA women's title mix.
Yahoo Sports - 8h
Schumer at center of civil war after funding fiasco

Democrats on Capitol Hill are waging an internal war against one of their own after the GOP successfully muscled through the Senate a partisan spending bill that drew the votes of Minority Leader ...
The Hill - 2d
Vance booed at Kennedy Center after Trump board takeover

Vice President Vance was met by a chorus of boos from audience members at the Kennedy Center while attending a National Symphony Orchestra performance late Thursday. The former Ohio senator ...
The Hill - 2d
Nets' Cam Thomas is 'all over the place' as he heads into free-agency

Brooklyn Nets guard Cam Thomas will be a restricted free-agent after this season, but no one seems to know what his exact market value will be.
Yahoo Sports - 3d
Nets blow another late lead and fall in Chicago, 116-110

The Nets fell to the Chicago Bulls, 116-110, on Thursday at the United Center in Chicago. Brooklyn, which fell to 22-44 with the loss, is now six games behind Chicago for 10th place in the Eastern ...
Yahoo Sports - 3d
United Center removes the Bulls' championship banners after they were damaged during a concert

The Chicago Bulls' six NBA championship banners have been removed from the United Center rafters after they were damaged during a concert. According to a United Center statement, the banners ...
Yahoo Sports - 2d
Maxwell Lewis’ coming out party spoiled as Nets’ rally against Celtics falls short

NEW YORK — The Nets fell to the Boston Celtics, 115-113, on Saturday in the first game of a back-to-back set at Barclays Center. They are now in sole possession of the fifth-best NBA draft lottery ...
Yahoo Sports - 1d
Looking back: Florida in SEC Tournament

Here’s a chance for some extra thoughts and numbers that couldn’t make it into the initial thoughts or game story last night after the Missouri Tigers’ loss to Florida. The only games they had ...
Yahoo Sports - 1d
3/12: CBS Evening News

Mom worries about daughter with Down Syndrome after Education Department cuts; Trump critic wins Greenland election
CBS News - 4d
Stephen A. Smith after Florida's SEC Tournament win over Alabama: 'They look real as hell'

ESPN's Stephen A. Smith was extremely impressed with the Florida Gators after their win over the Alabama Crimson Tide in the SEC Tournament Semifinals
Yahoo Sports - 1d
After 18 holes at 2025 Players Championship, who's in danger of missing the cut?

The cut at the 2025 Players Championship will be the top 65 and ties.
Yahoo Sports - 3d
Trump to meet with Kennedy Center board after purge

President Donald Trump said former President Joe Biden's preemptive pardons of members of the Jan. 6 committee are "void" because he signed them by autopen.
NBC News - 1h
Trump wants to go after criminal networks. A new approach to sanctions is needed.

President Trump has designated international drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations, and a National Security Presidential Memorandum has been issued to intensify sanctions against Iran, ...
The Hill - 6d
Soldier goes on the run with teen after his wife's murder. Is she in danger?

After Cati Blauvelt, 22, was murdered in Simpsonville, South Carolina, her husband, former U.S. Army recruiter John Blauvelt, fled with his 17-year-old girlfriend Hannah Thompson. U.S. Marshals led ...
CBS News - Mar. 8
Nets' Cam Johnson told story about Luka Doncic trade by Shams Charania

Brooklyn Nets forward Cam Johnson has been doing his thing on the court, but he was recently told by Shams Charania how the Luka Doncic went down.
Yahoo Sports - 2d