Olivier Rioux

Olivier Rioux (born February 2, 2006) is a Canadian college basketball player for the Florida Gators of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). Guinness World Records declared him the tallest teenager in the world in 2021 when he measured 7 ft 5 in (2.26 m) at age 15.^[1] He now stands 7 ft 9 in (2.36 m)^[2] tall. If Rioux gets drafted into the NBA, he will be the tallest player to ever play in the NBA.

Olivier Rioux

No. 32 – Florida Gators
Position	Center
League	Southeastern Conference
Personal information
Born	(2006-02-02) February 2, 2006 (age 19) Terrebonne, Quebec, Canada
Listed height	7 ft 9 in (2.36 m)
Listed weight	305 lb (138 kg)
Career information
High school	IMG Academy (Bradenton, Florida)
College	Florida (2025–present)
Medals Men's basketball Representing  Canada FIBA Under-18 AmeriCup 2024 Argentina Team FIBA Under-16 AmeriCup 2021 Mexico Team

Early life and high school career

Olivier Rioux was born in Terrebonne on February 2, 2006, to Jean-François, a 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) photographer and former volleyball player, and Anne Gariépy, who is 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m), and works at the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC). His 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) older brother, Émile, has also played basketball.^[3][4] The family has resided in the Anjou borough of Montreal^[4] and the suburb of Beloeil.

Rioux started playing basketball when he was five.^[5] Both he and Émile played for multiple Canadian AAU teams.^{[citation needed]} Rioux first gained attention while playing internationally for the French Phenoms at 12, because by then he was already 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m).^[6] He played for Real Madrid prior to attending IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida.^[7][3] He also played for Canadian AAU team Brookwood Elite.^[8]

College career

Rioux committed to play college basketball at the University of Florida.

He did not appear in any of the Gators' first four games of the 2024–25 season. After the fourth game, head coach Todd Golden told the Associated Press that Rioux was being redshirted, and that he had previously discussed the matter with Rioux, his family, and his AAU coach. The Gators went on to win the NCAA championship.^[9]

National team career

Rioux first represented Canada at the youth level during the 2021 FIBA Under-16 Americas Championship in Mexico. He helped Canada win bronze at the tournament, finishing with averages of 8.3 points and 10.3 rebounds per game.^[10] A year later, he played for Canada at the 2022 FIBA U17 World Cup in Spain. He finished the competition with averages of 2.7 points and 4.7 rebounds per game.^[11]

In June 2023, Rioux was selected to play for Canada at the 2023 FIBA U19 World Cup in Hungary. He averaged 3.2 points and 3.4 rebounds per game over the course of the tournament.^[12] The following year, at the 2024 FIBA Under-18 AmeriCup in Argentina, Rioux won his second bronze medal at the youth level. He finished the event averaging 4.5 points and 4.5 rebounds per game.^[13]