Canadian giant Olivier Rioux makes history with Florida Gators
The 18-year-old Canadian Olivier Rioux, standing at an impressive 7 feet 9 inches tall, is starting the season with the Florida Gators basketball team. He is the tallest player in the history of college basketball in the USA and a young man destined to join the NBA. He already surpasses the legends of the famous league.
9:53 AM EDT, October 31, 2024
Rioux, recognized by the Guinness World Records as the tallest teenager in the world, surpasses the previous NCAA record holder, Kenny George from UNC Asheville (7 feet 7 inches), who played from 2006-2008 by two inches.
His height also surpasses NBA legends: Romanian Gheorghe Muresan and the late Sudanese Manute Bol (both 7 feet 7 inches), the famous Chinese Yao Ming (7 feet 6 inches), and current rising star Victor Wembanyama (7 feet 4 inches), the colleague of Jeremy Sochan from the San Antonio Spurs.
Rioux's exceptional height draws attention not only on the court but also off it.
You don't have a single three seconds to yourself when you're outside, which I was fine with because my brother and my dad are tall. And, as a family, we used to go out – the basketball player admitted.
Although he has experienced this interest since childhood, he has learned to live with it. "That's just how it was, and you can't change that because people are curious," he adds.
Olivier hails from Terrebonne, in the province of Quebec. He started training in basketball at the age of five. In his family, tall stature is the norm—his mom is 6 feet 2 inches, his dad 6 feet 8 inches, and his older brother nearly 6 feet 10 inches.
Already in elementary school, he towered over most teachers. As an eight-year-old, he was 6 feet tall, and by seventh grade, he had reached 7 feet.
Coaches and teammates on the world's tallest teenager
The coaches of the Florida Gators praise Rioux for his coordination and the way he moves on the court. Despite his enormous height, the 18-year-old works hard to prepare as best as he can for his debut in NCAA Division I.
That one we can see coming from a mile away. About 95 per cent of my conversations with random people about our team are about him. It's the first time we've been ranked since 2019 and it's like, 'Hey, Coach, we're really excited to see Oli out there this year.' And I get it, man. He's a very unique individual – emphasizes coach Todd Golden.
Having such a tall player also affects his teammates.
It's really weird looking up to someone. But being around him just about every day, it's just different when you're out in public with him. People normally ask me, 'You're so tall. Do you play basketball?' No one says a word to me [now]. Everyone just looks to him. It's kind of crazy. He doesn't shy away from it – notes Gators' centre Micah Handlogten, who himself is 7 feet 1 inch tall.
Rioux is aware of his impact on his surroundings but remains focused on developing his career. "Conversations with strangers are usually pleasant," he says. His goal is to continue working hard and to use his extraordinary potential on the court.
