The tallest teenager in the world is set to make waves in college basketball this season. According to Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman, the University of Florida has listed incoming freshman Olivier Rioux at an astonishing 7 feet 9 inches and 290 pounds for the 2024-25 season.
If accurate, Rioux would become the second-tallest active basketball player and the third-tallest player in the sport’s history.
Hailing from Canada, the 18-year-old Rioux has captured attention since his early teens. At just 12 years old, he stood 6 feet 10 inches tall and played internationally for the French Phenoms. He has also represented the Canada national basketball team at the FIBA World Cup.
Florida is officially listing freshman Olivier Rioux at 7'9", 290lbs pic.twitter.com/9CgTOo8wyp
— Jonathan Wasserman (@NBADraftWass) August 15, 2024
The buzz around Rioux’s upcoming college career is palpable among fans. Reactions have been enthusiastic:
“I cannot wait for UF basketball this year lmao,” one fan tweeted.
“He played limited minutes at IMG last season. Olivier holds the world record for the tallest teenager at 7’9”. Will be interesting to see how Florida uses him this year,” commented another.
“Oh my!!! @GatorsMBK is officially listing Freshman, @Oli_Rioux, at 7’9” and 290 lbs. @SEC fans get ready and host cities order the extra large hotel beds. Big man coming to town. Thanks to @NBADraftWass for sharing the official news,” a third added.
While towering players like Zach Edey and Tacko Fall have leveraged their height effectively, there are also instances where excessive height has posed challenges. It remains to be seen how Rioux will adapt and excel at Florida, but his presence alone promises to be a game-changer for the program.
