Olivier Rioux instructions consideration earlier than he even steps on to a basketball court docket. The 20-year-old was beforehand the world’s tallest teenager, towering over his friends at a exceptional seven toes and 9 inches, which is 2 inches greater than the tallest-ever NBA participant.
The Canadian centre rose to prominence ahead of last year’s March Madness. He was a part of the Florida Gators squad that gained the NCAA event in 2025. A lot of basketball followers tipped Rioux to catch the attention of NBA scouts however Gators head coach Todd Golden had a special plan. Despite requires the record-breaking teenager to be launched, Rioux was redshirted, that means he wouldn’t play through the season to protect his faculty basketball eligibility.
The 20-year-old is accustomed to the eye his massive body attracts, having first set his previous world report at 15. However, Rioux additionally started claiming information on the court docket in November, turning into the tallest faculty basketball participant in historical past in his Gators debut towards North Florida.
A month later, Rioux toppled one other faculty basketball report. He is the tallest participant to have scored a basket on the faculty degree following his rating towards in a 102-61 victory over Saint Francis.
However, whereas it’s his second yr with the Gators, the Canada U19 worldwide has been a bit-part participant. He has featured in 9 video games up to now this season, totalling quarter-hour of motion.
Discussing Rioux’s restricted alternatives initially of this yr, coach Golden instructed ESPN: “I know he’s sitting over there probably like, ‘Damn man, I didn’t know all these guys were coming back.’ So it’s going to be a tough one this year to play. It really will be. But…I do think he has some really good basketball ahead of him, whether it’s here at Florida or somewhere else.”
The Gators enter March Madness as one in all 4 No.1 seeds due to their 26-7 report within the Southeastern Conference. While he won’t be anticipated to play a serious position throughout March Madness, Rioux is way from downbeat about his prospects.
“I think a lot of people don’t really know what I’m committed to doing,” he stated to ESPN. “Obviously, you see a highlight here and there, but you don’t see what the person is capable of doing. I want to push myself to be able to do that.”
