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:
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
