7-Foot-9 Olivier Rioux Becomes Tallest Player In College Basketball History

Last Updated:November 07, 2025, 11:38 IST

Olivier Rioux, a 19-year-old redshirt freshman from Canada, became the tallest individual to play college basketball during his debut in Florida’s 104-64 win over North Florida.

Olivier Rioux made everyone in attendance smile. (AP Photo)

Florida coach Todd Golden faced calls from the crowd at halftime on Thursday night to play 7-foot-9 center Olivier Rioux.

Golden conceded with 2:09 remaining, making history as chants of “We Want Ollie" filled the O’Connell Center.

Rioux, a 19-year-old redshirt freshman from Canada, became the tallest individual to play college basketball during his debut in Florida’s 104-64 win over North Florida. Despite drawing significant attention from the Ospreys, Rioux did not touch the ball.

“It felt great," Rioux said. “The support from everybody was amazing, even on the bench and from the fans. I think everybody supported me. I’m very grateful."

When asked about making history, Rioux commented, “It’s another day, I guess."

Rioux brought smiles to those in attendance, including North Florida forward Trey Cady, who grinned when comparing his height to Rioux. Cady was more than a foot shorter.

“There were people yelling at me at halftime about playing him," Golden said. “I’m like, ‘Listen, it will happen. The time will come.’"

Rioux stands 2 inches taller than former NBA players Gheorghe Muresan and Manute Bol and 3 inches taller than renowned big men Yao Ming, Tacko Fall, and Shawn Bradley. He was already in the Guinness record book when he signed with Florida in 2024.

Golden offered Rioux the choice of playing sparingly last season or taking a redshirt season to develop his skills. Rioux opted for the latter. Nonetheless, he gained viral fame for activities such as riding his bike on campus, ducking under doorways, and cutting down nets while standing flat-footed during Florida’s NCAA Tournament run.

“He’s put in a lot of great work," Golden said. “To his credit, he’s maintained a great attitude despite limited playing time and opportunities."

Golden had established that Rioux would only play late in blowouts due to having all four frontcourt players returning. Rioux embraced the challenge of competing against Alex Condon, Thomas Haugh, Rueben Chinyelu, and Micah Handlogten in practice and behind them in games.

“I talked to the guys at halftime when we were up 24 and emphasised the importance of getting off to a strong start to give the younger players and those on the bench an opportunity to play," Golden said. “With the game under control, it seemed like a good chance to give him his first college experience, and I think he was quite excited.

“It was pretty neat for him to finally see the floor."

The loudest ovation of the game, second only to Florida unveiling its championship banner, occurred when Golden signalled to Rioux at the end of the bench. Rioux removed his long-sleeved T-shirt and rushed to the scorer’s table to check in.

Teammates and coaches celebrated, and fans cheered whenever the ball approached Rioux. He will have to wait until his next outing to actually touch it.

“So much fun," Handlogten said. “When he was checking into the game, I stopped him and said, ‘Play with confidence. You’ve worked hard for two years to reach this spot. Now’s your moment. This is your time to shine.’

“Seeing him run up and down the court with a small smile was really good to see."

With AP Inputs

Feroz Khan

Feroz Khan has been covering sports for over 12 years now and is currently working with Network18 as Principal Correspondent. He embarked on his journey in 2011 and has since acquired vast experience in digital...Read More

Feroz Khan has been covering sports for over 12 years now and is currently working with Network18 as Principal Correspondent. He embarked on his journey in 2011 and has since acquired vast experience in digital...

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News sports 7-Foot-9 Olivier Rioux Becomes Tallest Player In College Basketball History

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