Olivier Rioux, 7-foot-9 NCAA faculty basketball participant at Florida, poses for a photograph after apply, Friday, Oct. 18, 2024, in Gainesville, Fla. (AP Picture/John Raoux)
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Strolling from his residence to courses after which to the College of Florida’s basketball facility, Olivier Rioux poses for dozens — generally tons of — of images a day.
Vertical photographs, in fact. Rioux received’t match within the body some other method.
At 7 toes, 9 inches (2.4 meters), Rioux is the final word BMOC. He’s really the Greatest Man On Campus — any campus.
World’s tallest teenager
The Florida freshman, a happy-go-lucky Canadian who owns a spot within the Guinness document e-book because the world’s tallest teenager, additionally will make basketball historical past when he performs for the Twenty first-ranked Gators this season. The cheerful man often known as “Oli” will change into the tallest to play faculty hoops, supplanting 7-foot-7 Kenny George of UNC Asheville (2006-08).
He’s 2 inches (5 centimeters) taller than former NBA giants Gheorghe Muresan and Manute Bol, and three inches taller than in style huge males Yao Ming, Tacko Fall and Shawn Bradley.
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“You get requested questions day by day,” mentioned Rioux, who likes to attract in his spare time. “You don’t have a single three seconds to your self whenever you’re outdoors, which I used to be nice with as a result of my brother and my dad are tall. And, as a household, we used to exit. That’s simply the way it was, and you may’t change that as a result of individuals are curious.”
His faculty teammates have gotten used to it by now.
“It’s actually bizarre wanting as much as somebody,” mentioned 7-foot-1 middle Micah Handlogten. “However being round him nearly day by day, it’s simply completely different whenever you’re out in public with him. Folks usually ask me, ‘You’re so tall. Do you play basketball?’ Nobody says a phrase to me (now). Everybody simply seems to him. It’s type of loopy. He doesn’t shrink back from it.”
Rioux really embraces it. He welcomes the stares, the questions and all of the requests.
“It does assist to be Canadian,” he quipped. “You simply get used to it. Speaking to folks is good as a result of they’re curious, and you may’t change that.”
Getting ready for Division 1 basketball
Rioux has labored exhausting to organize for Division I basketball, however nobody expects him to be a star at this stage, definitely not instantly. The Gators do anticipate Rioux to be a fan favourite, starting with their season opener towards USF on Monday evening. Coach Todd Golden predicts will probably be like nothing he’s ever skilled, with chants for Rioux late in video games.
“That one we are able to see coming from a mile away,” Golden mentioned. “About 95% of my conversations with random folks about our group are about him. It’s the primary time we’ve been ranked since 2019 and it’s like, ‘Hey, Coach, we’re actually excited to see Oli on the market this yr.’ And I get it, man. He’s a really distinctive particular person.”
Rioux grew up in Terrebonne, Quebec, and realized at an early age he was completely different. He was taller than most of his lecturers in elementary faculty, crossed the 6-foot mark by age 8 and topped 7 toes the summer season earlier than seventh grade.
Household are 6 footers
His mother is 6-2, dad is 6-8 and his older brother is 6-9.
“At my meemaw’s home, we had the wall (the place) me and my brother used to measure ourselves. After which someday, poof, my brother was gone,” Rioux mentioned, recalling the day he “formally” outgrew his whole household.
Again residence in Canada, Rioux has a variety of custom-made objects to make life extra snug, most notably his mattress. On campus, although, he barely suits diagonally throughout a queen-sized mattress.
He has to duck to get by means of close to each doorway and infrequently hits his head. He wears a dimension 20 shoe, will get most of his wardrobe from group gear and received’t dare trip a scooter as a result of “I don’t belief myself.” And squeezing right into a classroom desk is extra comical than a degree guard attempting to field him out.
He began enjoying basketball at age 5 and ended up at IMG Academy in Sarasota, about three hours south of Gainesville, for highschool. He had provides from UC Irvine and Morehead State however ended up at Florida as a most popular walk-on.
He’s one in all six worldwide gamers on Golden’s roster and a transparent challenge regardless of having performed in a number of FIBA occasions with the Canadian nationwide group, together with the 2024 U18 FIBA AmeriCup and the 2023 U19 World Cup.
“The nice factor in our minds is we expect he has potential to play sooner or later,” Golden mentioned. “He’s greater than only a 7-9 man. He’s had some actually good moments in apply, tremendous coachable and I’m excited for him to get so far subsequent yr and type of see the place we’re at.”
Rioux has made strides in just some months. His mobility and coordination have improved — he can wrap his leg round his head — alongside along with his conditioning. Golden nonetheless desires him to make use of his 305-pound body to change into “extra of a butt-kicker” within the low put up.
“He has flashes in apply the place he’ll make some performs and also you’re like, ‘Whoa,’” Golden mentioned. “Like, clearly, we are able to’t try this with anyone else.”
Dunk with out leaving his toes
Rioux can dunk with out leaving his toes and has a virtually unstoppable hook shot. He wears No. 32 due to his affection for Professional Basketball Corridor of Famers Magic Johnson and Shaquille O’Neal, a fellow 7-footer.
He’d wish to sample his sport after former Purdue middle Zach Edey (7-4) and French famous person Victor Wembanyama (7-3), who’s at present thought of the gold normal for 7-footers.
“Oh my God,” Rioux gushed.
Most individuals have the identical response when seeing Rioux for the primary time. He towers over teammates and classmates, and nearly each image taken of him goes viral.
“He doesn’t search the eye, however he additionally doesn’t get irritated on the those who ask,” Handlogten mentioned. “He embraces it as a result of it’s a part of him, and he loves that. If somebody comes up and asks for photos, he’s like, ‘Yeah, in fact.’ And he all the time has that vivid smile on his face. It’s superior.”
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