Are we seeing a renaissance of the massive human playing college basketball? Purdue’s Zach Edey dominated the NCAA at 7’4, 300 pounds en route to back-to-back Wooden Award trophies and a Final Four appearance. Tacko Fall mesmerized the college basketball and NBA world in his NCAA tournament matchup with Zion Williamson and Duke.
Now, we might be getting a player who is larger than both of them, and I have no idea how that’s possible. IMG Academy’s Olivier Rioux is a Florida commit in the class of 2024, who WAS 7’6—last year.
He is NOW 7’9 and I’m not even sure how that’s possible. Look at this stuff:
Here’s him next a normal person:
We took this picture together two years ago, at the time, Olivier Rioux was 7-foot 6 inches. He is now 7-9. The incoming Florida freshman will be the tallest player in college basketball history. pic.twitter.com/gZSWrMa9Yb
— chuck swirsky (@ctsbulls) June 20, 2024
Olivier Rioux was listed at 7-foot-7 just two months ago…
He’s now on campus in Florida and is listed at 7-foot-9
Rioux holds the Guinness World Record for the world’s tallest teenager, and he hasn’t stopped growing
He just turned 18 years old btw pic.twitter.com/KTQDxZLlBV
— College Basketball Report (@CBKReport) June 19, 2024
If he’s truly 7’9, then that would make him the tallest player in college basketball history, passing former Florida Tech and Mountain State player Paul Sturgess, who was 7’8. Rioux is also the tallest teenager ever. His basketball highlight tape looks exactly how you think someone that big would look playing against your average high schooler.
18-year-old Florida commit Olivier Rioux is now listed at 7’9”
He was 7’5” when we filmed him 2 years ago.
7’6” last year (this video).
7’7” earlier this year.
— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) June 19, 2024
I truly have no idea how someone gets that big, but with the success of Edey at the college level there’s a blueprint for the Florida commit. Watching his career unfold will be fun, but getting him in a spot to be successful might be…
a tall task.
