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Olivier Rioux, a 19-year-old redshirt freshman from Canada, has officially become the tallest player ever to step onto a college basketball court. Rioux made his debut for the Florida Gators during a dominant 104-64 win over North Florida.
The historic debut and reactions by fans
The game took place at the O'Connell Center, where chants of "We Want Ollie" echoed through the arena. Florida coach Todd Golden faced pressure from the crowd at halftime to add Olivier Rioux to the lineup. With the Gators leading comfortably, Golden finally gave in with just 2:09 remaining.
As Rioux checked in, the atmosphere electrified. Fans delivered loud cheers. Teammates celebrated wildly, and even opponents couldn't hide their amazement. North Florida forward Trey Cady smirked while sizing up against Rioux, giving away more than a foot in height.
"It felt great," Rioux said. "The support from everybody was amazing, even on the bench, and even the fans. I think everybody supported me. I am very grateful."
Breaking special record
Olivier Rioux surpassed basketball icons in height. He stands 2 inches taller than former NBA stars Gheorghe Muresan and Manute Bol, and 3 inches above Yao Ming, Tacko Fall, and Shawn Bradley. Already recognized by Guinness World Records as the world's tallest teenager, Rioux signed with Florida in 2024.
His journey to this debut involved patience. Golden offered him limited playing time last season or a redshirt year to develop skills. Rioux chose the redshirt, honing his game behind returning frontcourt players like Alex Condon, Thomas Haugh, Rueben Chinyelu, and Micah Handlogten.
Despite no prior game action, Rioux became a campus sensation. From biking around grounds to ducking under doorways and cutting nets flat-footed during Florida's NCAA tournament run, he went viral repeatedly.
Coach Todd Golden's perspective
Todd Golden emphasized team priorities but recognized the moment's significance. "There were people yelling at me at halftime about playing him," Golden said. “I was like, 'Listen, it will happen. The time will come.'”
At halftime, up by 24 points, Golden stressed starting strong to allow bench players like Rioux a chance. "Obviously, the game was in our control, and I thought it would be a good opportunity to get him out there and get his first college experience, and I think he was pretty excited," he added.
Olivier Rioux's reaction
When asked about the record, Olivier Rioux expressed, "It's another day, I guess." His positive attitude shone through despite limited rewards so far. "He's put in a lot of great work," Golden noted. "To his credit, he's kept a great attitude without getting a lot of reward in terms of playing time and opportunity."
English (US) ·