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Florida Basketball freshman goes viral after encounter with Shaq

Shaq is 7'1" and looked tiny

ByBenjamin Henderson|
Nov 7, 2024; Gainesville, Florida, USA; Florida Gators center Olivier Rioux (32) stands between forward Sam Alexis (4) and forward Alex Condon (21) before the game against the Jacksonville Dolphins at Exactech Arena at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images
Nov 7, 2024; Gainesville, Florida, USA; Florida Gators center Olivier Rioux (32) stands between forward Sam Alexis (4) and forward Alex Condon (21) before the game against the Jacksonville Dolphins at Exactech Arena at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images | Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images

One of the predictions we made before the season for Florida Basketball is that freshman Olivier Rioux would be their most viral player. Rioux is redshirting the 2024/25 season, but it is hard to ignore his presence on the Gator bench.

Sure enough, Rioux has gone viral once again a video posted by NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal.

Florida Basketball: Pick On Someone Your Own Size

Originally posted to his TikTok page, Shaq is seen pointing at someone much smaller than him when Rioux walks up behind. O'Neal turns around into Rioux's chest, looks up, and gives the camera a look of "Oh."

This isn't the first time over the past week Shaq has had a video go viral involving the Gators. During a segment on Inside The NBA, O'Neal pulled a prank on Charles Barkley and had a plush gator drop from the ceiling.

O'Neal's daughter Me'Arah O'Neal is a freshman with the Florida women's basketball team and had nine rebounds in Florida's most recent game against Kentucky.

As for Rioux, the plan is for him to redshirt the 2024/25 season. It is a testament to the depth of big men that the Gators have that they have a 7'9" guy on the bench they don't even have to think about using.

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