Florida’s 7-foot-9-inch player Olivier Rioux doesn’t need ladder to cut net after SEC win
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(NEW YORK) — A University of Florida basketball player whose height makes him a Guinness World Record holder needed just his height to cut the net in a post-game celebration Sunday after the Gators won the SEC Championship.
Olivier Rioux sidestepped a ladder set up for players to climb to reach the net and simply reached up with his arm in a moment that was caught on camera and has gone viral on social media.
The video, shared online by the SEC Network, shows Rioux not even bothering to rise up on his tiptoes to reach the net, as fans, Gator cheerleaders and his teammates cheer him on.
Standing 7 feet, 9 inches tall, Rioux holds the Guinness World Record for tallest male teenager.
The freshman center grew up in Terrebonne, Quebec, according to his Florida player profile, but competed in high school at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida.
He comes from a tall family, with a mom who is 6 feet, 2 inches; a dad who is 6 feet, 8 inches; and a brother who is 6 feet, 9 inches, according to his Guinness World Record profile.
Rioux, who started playing basketball at age 5, was 6 feet tall by the age of 8 and 7 feet tall before entering seventh grade.
Rioux, who goes by “Oli,” entered Florida as a preferred walk-on for the basketball team. He redshirted last season and returned this year as a freshman.
On Sunday, the Gators defeated Tennessee 86-77 to earn their first SEC tournament championship since 2014.
Florida, the No. 1 seed in the West Region of the NCAA Tournament, will next play Norfolk State on Friday in Raleigh, North Carolina.
(NEW YORK) — Three Stanley Cup championship rings have been stolen from the home of Pittsburgh Penguins star forward Evgeni Malkin during yet another burglary in a series of thefts from high-profile professional athletes, authorities said.
The missing rings were reported at 8:30 p.m. last Saturday, according to a statement from the Allegheny County Police Department on Wednesday.
“At 8:30 pm on January 11, Sewickley Heights Police requested the assistance of the Allegheny County Police Department’s General Investigations Unit for a residential burglary on Blackburn Road,” authorities said. “It was later determined the home belonged to Pittsburgh Penguins player Evgeni Malkin, who returned home from a game to find his home was burglarized.”
Detectives immediately began an investigation and discovered that Malkin’s three Stanley Cup championship rings were taken from the residence, police said.
“County Police are in contact with impacted law enforcement agencies, and at this time, detectives have not received any information indicating this incident is tied to any of the reported organizations targeting professional athletes across the country,” authorities said.
In December, the FBI issued a formal warning to sports leagues about organized theft groups targeting professional athletes following a rash of burglaries — beginning in September — at the homes of professional athletes while they were playing games or traveling.
“These homes are targeted for burglary due to the perception they may have high-end goods like designer handbags, jewelry, watches, and cash,” the FBI said in a Liaison Information Report obtained by ABC News.
The report stated that “organized theft groups allegedly burglarized the homes of at least nine professional athletes” between September and November 2024.
“While many burglaries occur while homes are unoccupied, some burglaries occur while residents are home. In these instances, individuals are encouraged to seek law enforcement help and avoid engaging with criminals, as they may be armed or use violence if confronted,” the report further stated.
Burglars have recently targeted the homes of Kansas City Chiefs stars Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce, along with Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow and Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Dončić. In addition, the homes of NBA guard Mike Conley Jr. and Bobby Portis have been burglarized. The FBI report does not specifically note or refer to any of these incidents.
“County Police are in contact with impacted law enforcement agencies, and at this time, detectives have not received any information indicating this incident is tied to any of the reported organizations targeting professional athletes across the country,” said the Allegheny County Police Department in reference to Malkin’s case.
The 38-year-old Pittsburgh Penguins star is currently playing in his 18th NHL season and has scored 506 goals to date placing him 45th all-time in league history.
Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact the Allegheny County Police Department and police said the investigation remains active and open.
ABC News’ Aaron Katersky and Josh Margolin contributed to this report.
