Olivier Rioux, listed at 7-foot-8 and the tallest player in NCAA Division I men's basketball history, announced in an Instagram post that he is leaving the University of Florida men's basketball program after two seasons.[1][2]
The 20-year-old center from Terrebonne, Quebec, Canada, thanked head coach Todd Golden, staff, teammates and fans in the post, reflecting on his time with the Gators. Rioux wrote that competing at the highest level had been "one of the greatest honors of my life" and that the experience would hold "a special place in my heart."[3]
Rioux played limited minutes during his freshman season with Florida in 2024-25. He made his collegiate debut on November 4, 2024, in a 116-68 victory over Florida A&M, logging three minutes.[4] He scored his first points via free throw several games later and recorded his first rebound in that appearance.[4][5]
Through 27 games this season, Rioux averaged 1.5 minutes per game, totaling 41 minutes, 25 points, 34 rebounds and 1 assist, according to team records.[5] At 7-foot-8, Rioux stands taller than former NBA players Manute Bol and Gheorghe Muresan (both 7-foot-7) and Yao Ming (7-foot-6).[1][6]
Florida coach Todd Golden has a deep frontcourt, with players such as Alex Condon, Thomas Haugh and others ahead of Rioux on the depth chart. The Gators play home games at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center in Gainesville, Florida.[1][7]
The NCAA transfer portal for undergraduates opened on March 24, 2025, and remains open until April 22, 2025.[8]
Sources
- Florida Gators, "2024-25 Men's Basketball Roster: Olivier Rioux", accessed April 2025, https://floridagators.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/olivier-rioux/25165
- Wikipedia, "Olivier Rioux", accessed April 2025, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olivier_Rioux
- Fox News (draft input), "The average height of a men's basketball program...", no specific date, input provided
- ESPN, "Florida 116, Florida A&M 68 Box Score - November 4, 2024", November 4, 2024, https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/boxscore/_/gameId/401671609
- ESPN, "Olivier Rioux - Florida Gators Forward-Center", accessed April 2025, https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/player/_/id/5166834/olivier-rioux
- Basketball-Reference.com, "Manute Bol", accessed April 2025, https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/b/bolma01.html
- Florida Gators, "O'Dome (Stephen C. O'Connell Center)", accessed April 2025, https://floridagators.com/facilities/stephen-c-oconnell-center-odom/17
- NCAA.com, "Men's basketball transfer portal dates for 2025", March 2025, https://www.ncaa.com/news/basketball-men/d1/article/2025-03-17/2025-mens-basketball-transfer-portal-dates-tracking-every-move
