GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Olivier Rioux, standing at an astonishing 7-foot-9 and weighing 305 pounds, has etched his name into college basketball history as the tallest player to ever step onto the court. The Florida Gators center, a redshirt freshman from Montreal, made his debut in early November, becoming the tallest player in the sport's college annals to check into a game. Just two weeks later, he notched his first point with a free throw, and by mid-December, he slammed home his first field goal in a lopsided victory over Saint Francis, solidifying his place in the record books.
The crowd at the Exactech Arena in Gainesville erupted that December night before Rioux even entered the fray. Chants of "We want Ollie! We want Ollie!" filled the air, and when the 19-year-old rose from the bench to report to the scorer's table, the cheers reached a fever pitch. His dunk late in the game against the Red Flash sent teammates piling onto each other's shoulders in celebration, while coaches exchanged high-fives and fans pointed skyward in ecstasy. "I knew it would be big, but I didn't know it would be like that," said Jean-Francois Rioux, Olivier's father, reflecting on the electric atmosphere.
Rioux's journey to this moment began far from the bright lights of SEC basketball, in the everyday settings of his Canadian hometown. As a child, he towered over classmates, reaching nearly 7 feet by elementary school. His family, no strangers to height themselves—father Jean-Francois at 6-foot-8, mother Anne Gariepy at 6-foot-2, and older brother Emile at 6-foot-9—fueled his growth with massive meals, like ordering a half-dozen pizzas for family dinners at local restaurants. By age 12, Rioux was already 7 feet tall, earning him the Guinness World Record for the tallest teenager.
His extraordinary stature drew early attention in basketball circles. In 2016, at just 9 years old, Rioux caught the eye of Joel Anthony, a 6-foot-10 former NBA champion with the Miami Heat, during a youth camp in Montreal. Anthony, who had faced giants like LeBron James, mistook the boy for a counselor. "I was like, 'Where is the kid?'" Anthony recalled. "And he's like, 'This is the kid I was talking about.'" A photo of the pair, both standing eye-to-eye, went viral on social media, alerting Canada Basketball officials who quickly integrated Rioux into their development program. This provided him with top-tier training, free gear, and competition against elite youth talent.
Stories from those early days paint a picture of a gentle giant navigating a world unaccustomed to his size. Joey McKitterick, director of the Brookwood Elite basketball program in Canada, remembered a grassroots game where a 6-foot-10 opponent tried to dunk on Rioux but failed, only for Rioux to respond with his own slam and a paternal pat on the head. "And I was like, 'He just patted a kid who is 6-foot-10 on his head like he was his child,'" McKitterick said. Yet, the attention wasn't always welcome. As a young player, Rioux's coaches had to verify his age at tournaments, with organizers doubting the myth-like figure before them. Crowds swelled at his games, turning simple outings into spectacles.
The stares and selfie requests started young and have only intensified. "It is a little difficult when you're young and people don't know how to stare," Anthony noted. On AAU road trips, teammates doubled as bodyguards to fend off fans, though sneaky selfies from afar still proliferated. Rioux has developed coping strategies: obliging kids' photo requests to avoid disappointing them, but snapping walking selfies en route to class to keep moving. "Whenever I'm out with the guys or the team, I'm like, 'I don't want any pictures,'" he told ESPN. Off the court, he's a walking celebrity, but he craves recognition beyond his height. "I wear size 20 shoes," Rioux said. "I eat 5,000 to 6,000 calories every day."
At the University of Florida, Rioux is redshirting to build his game, averaging just 2.2 minutes per appearance in his five games this season. The Gators' frontcourt is stacked with returnees from last year's national title run, including Alex Condon, Thomas Haugh, and Rueben Chinyelu. Florida coach Todd Golden praised Rioux's work ethic but tempered expectations. "I know he's sitting over there probably like, 'Damn man, I didn't know all these guys were coming back,'" Golden said. "So it's going to be a tough one this year to play. It really will be. But ... I do think he has some really good basketball ahead of him, whether it's here at Florida or somewhere else."
Experts who have coached Rioux emphasize the challenges of his position in today's fast-paced game. Michael Meeks, an assistant with the Canadian national team who has known Rioux for over a decade, pointed out the need for adaptation. "It's a guard's game, so in order for a big guy like [Rioux] to really, really thrive, you'd have to slow the game down, walk the ball up the court, let him get in position and then throw it into him," Meeks said. "There are not a lot of teams that walk the ball up in the SEC, so his head is under the water and he's going to have to really, really work to get it above it to impact the game."
Rioux's daily life requires constant ingenuity. On campus, he navigates a world built for average heights—the typical Canadian man stands at 5-foot-10. Door frames at 6-foot-8 force him to back into hotel rooms like a semi-truck into a dock. For sleep, he rearranges double beds into a T-shape or pads single mattresses with pillows to fit his frame. Air travel means duckwalking through jet bridges or buying extra seats for legroom; he prefers exit rows. In classrooms, he sits in the back of auditoriums for space, though acoustics suffer. "The auditoriums are not made for tall people, so I have to sit in the back where there is a seat," he said. "You don't really hear the teacher."
His training regimen is equally demanding, focused on building a durable lower body. Over the offseason, Rioux added 10 pounds of muscle, but maintaining weight is a battle. "I can lose five pounds in a single day," he explained. "I have to regain it with water and it's you can't just hold water. You've got to drink progressively and be worried about when you drink, how you drink and when you pee and all of that. There is a whole process." At an on-campus dining hall in September, his utensils seemed comically small in his massive hands, underscoring the supersized reality of his existence.
Mobility around Gainesville comes via a custom DirtySixer AllRoad Mark II bike, a $5,000 model nearly as tall as he is when stood on end. It's one of a limited edition; San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama and Shaquille O'Neal are among its owners. Driving remains elusive—Rioux hasn't pursued a license, citing the cost of customizing a vehicle. "I don't fit into cars. I don't fit into the driver's seat," he said. "I would have to customize it and learn how to drive it. And that's a lot. That's a lot of money." Name, image, and likeness deals, plus revenue sharing, help cover his 3XL wardrobe and king-plus mattress needs, with clothing brands sending free items in hopes of exposure.
Basketball provides Rioux an identity and community at Florida, where fans' passion offers mental support. "The fans at Florida are crazy," he said. "The feeling of being supported by people, it just helps you a lot mentally and I feel like that's what I needed and that's what I've been provided with." Teammates appreciate his demeanor. "He's a great kid," said Boogie Fland. "He's just a cool dude to be around and he is always caring about us." Thomas Haugh added, "People love him here. He loves it here, too. And he's been grinding. He has been lifting a lot and getting better. I see him working out, working on ballhandling. And I think if he gets things rolling, gets a little quicker, he's going to be good."
Beyond the court, Rioux cultivates a balanced life. Back in Montreal, he bonds with family over PC games like "Civilization" and "Minecraft," reads manga, watches anime, and sketches as an artist—his drawings adorn the family home. Chess was a childhood passion; he won school tournaments but sidelined it for basketball. Summers bring normalcy with friends uninterested in his fame. On a recent New York City trip, the group hit a food festival and supported a DJ pal spinning EDM. "We went downtown, we chilled," Rioux recalled. "It was really nice. He was doing EDM. I am into that." He keeps their group chat private, valuing the escape. "It's the freedom of not talking about basketball," he said. "I feel like that helps me to just be more focused on basketball somehow. I don't know the mentality behind it, but I have 100% in basketball and 100% with the liberty of recovery. I think that's the balance."
Looking ahead, Rioux is committed to earning a larger role with the Gators. With potential departures from the frontcourt via NBA drafts or graduation, opportunities could arise next season. His father remains optimistic: "We are confident that [Rioux] will have his place at Florida and that he will be able to play." Rioux echoes that determination. "I think a lot of people don't really know what I'm committed to doing," he said. "Obviously, you see a highlight here and there, but you don't see what the person is capable of doing. I want to push myself to be able to do that." As he continues to adapt his body and skills to the college game, Rioux's unique presence promises to keep captivating the sport, blending spectacle with substance in pursuit of a lasting legacy.