Olivier Rioux just can’t stop setting records.
The Canadian teenager, who stands 7-foot-9, officially set the NCAA record as the tallest player to ever score a field goal during Florida’s game against Saint Francis on Wednesday night.
Rioux, who hails from Terrebonne, Que., is regarded as the world’s tallest teenager. Although he has seen limited time on the floor while playing for the reigning national champion Gators, Rioux has become a fan favourite due to his enormous presence.
Having set the record as the tallest player in NCAA history last month, Rioux put his name in the history books one more time — with some emphasis.
With the Gators throttling their overmatched opponent, the crowd began to chant for Rioux as the clock wound down in the second half. With less than two minutes remaining, coach Todd Golden put in the massive centre and the rest was history.
After a Florida guard nearly lost the ball near halfcourt, he gained possession and passed it to a teammate in the corner, who saw the Canadian rolling to the net and passed it to Rioux.
Rioux — standing 15 inches taller than any of his opponents — received the ball and barely had to jump to score the slam dunk as the crowd went wild.
Florida improved to 7-4 on the season with the 102-61 victory.
Wednesday’s game was Rioux’s third appearance of the season. Following his debut against Northern Florida, he also played against Merrimack last month and scored his first points (on a free throw) and picked up his first rebound.
While he has yet to see any meaningful minutes, the Gators faithful have made him into a cult hero, often chanting “We want Ollie!” during big wins.
Who were previous tallest players?
By making his debut, Rioux surpassed previous NCAA record holder Paul Sturgess, who stood slightly over 7-foot-7. Rioux also out-measures several notable hoops legends, like Chinese superstar Yao Ming (7-foot-6) and both Manute Bol and Gheorge Muresan, who stood 7-foot-7.
This isn’t Rioux’s first entry in the record books, either. In 2022, he entered the Guinness World Book of Records as the tallest living male teenager.
According to the Associated Press, Rioux had been given the option of playing very limited minutes last year or take a redshirt season (which preserves a year of NCAA eligibility), with the Canadian opting for the latter in order to develop off the court.
“It’s just mental and you just keep going and you just grind, I guess,” Rioux said of the wait after making his debut.