Overview

• The Florida Gators claimed the 2025 NCAA national championship with a narrow 65-63 win over Houston, capping a 12-game winning streak.
• Olivier Rioux, Florida's 7-foot-9 redshirt freshman center, is the tallest player in NCAA Division I history and has yet to play a game this season.
• Rioux has become a viral sensation for cutting down nets without a ladder, a feat he repeated after the championship win and during Florida's SEC Tournament victory in March.
• Despite limited on-court contributions, Rioux's towering presence and unique celebrations have made him a cultural icon in college basketball.
• The Gators' championship run highlights both their athletic dominance and the public fascination with Rioux's extraordinary stature and persona.