How tall is Olivier Rioux? Meet the Florida Gators center who was considered the tallest teenager in the world
The 19-year-old was officially declared the world’s tallest teenager by the Guinness World Records in 2021.
The Florida Gators clinched a No. 1 seed for the NCAA Tournament with a victory over Tennessee on Sunday. The Gators will begin March Madness against Norfolk State in Raleigh, North Carolina on Friday and have genuine championship ambitions.
They are not short on talent but they have one player that really stands out, although he hasn’t yet made it onto the court for the Gators. Canadian freshman Olivier Rioux has been redshirted for the 2024/25 season, allowing him to preserve one season of college eligibility by remaining on the sidelines this year.
Rioux stands at 7ft 9in and was once confirmed as the tallest teenage in the world by the Guinness World Records. At the age of 12 he was already 6ft 10in and by the time he was 15 he measured 7ft 5in.
Having played for Real Madrid as a youth player and being a part of the Canadian Under-18 team at last year’s FIBA AmeriCup, his decision to commit to Florida sparked a lot of media interest. However Rioux will not feature this year and Florida coach Todd Golden admitted that he regretting not making clear that Rioux would not play this season.
“I should have made that clear,” Golden said. “Honestly, it’s put him in a tough situation. He’s sitting over there at the end of games and everybody’s yelling at him and trying to get him out there. They just hadn’t understood that that was our potential plan for him.
“So that’s where we’re at at this moment. I’m not saying that’s 100% going to be the plan. We’ll continue to talk to him and see if he changes what he wants to do. But as of right now, that’s the plan that we’re going to have with him as we move forward.”
As soon as he does make it on to the court, Rioux will officially become the tallest player in the history of college basketball. Should he make it to the professional game he would comfortably break the record for the tallest player in the NBA, beating the record held by 7ft 7in duo Manute Bol and Gheorghe Muresan.
Get your game on! Whether you’re into NFL touchdowns, NBA buzzer-beaters, world-class soccer goals, or MLB home runs, our app has it all.
Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more – plus, stay updated on the latest in current affairs and entertainment. Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.
Complete your personal details to comment
Your opinion will be published with first and last names