Walk into the Stephen C. O’Connell Center in Gainesville right now and you’ll hear it. It’s a low rumble that eventually turns into a full-blown roar. "We want Ollie!"
The fans aren't screaming for a star point guard or a high-flying wing. They are waiting for a 19-year-old kid from Quebec who literally has to duck to get through the arena tunnels. Olivier Rioux, the 7' 9 basketball player currently suiting up for the Florida Gators, is a walking, breathing outlier. He isn't just tall for a basketball player; he is the tallest human being to ever step onto an NCAA court.
People see the clips on TikTok. They see a guy who can dunk without his feet leaving the hardwood and they think it's a circus act. But if you actually look at the 2025-26 season progression, there’s a much more human story happening behind the "world’s tallest teenager" headlines. This isn't just about height. It's about a kid trying to find his rhythm in a game that’s getting faster every single year.
The Reality of Being a 7' 9 Basketball Player in a Small Ball Era
It's kinda wild when you think about it. We are living in the era of the "unicorn"—players like Victor Wembanyama who are 7' 4" and move like shooting guards. Then comes Olivier Rioux. He is a full five inches taller than Wemby. He’s taller than Yao Ming. He’s taller than Gheorghe Mureșan.
When Rioux checked into the game against North Florida back in November 2025, the atmosphere was electric, but the statistical reality was modest. He played two minutes. He didn't record a stat. But that wasn't the point. The point was that he was there, a 305-pound freshman from Terrebonne, Quebec, navigating a floor where every other player looked like a middle-schooler by comparison.
Genetic Luck or Something More?
A lot of people assume there’s a medical condition involved. Honestly, it’s mostly just genetics on steroids. His dad, Jean-François, is 6' 8". His mom is 6' 2". His brother is 6' 9".
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"We’re still not 100 per cent sure why I’m so tall," Rioux told Guinness World Records a few years back. "Doctors could only explain it with the genetics that my family has."
He was 6' 1" by the time he was eight years old. Think about that for a second. Most grown men never hit that height, and he was hitting it before he could even solve long division. By the time he was 15, he was 7' 5". Now, as a redshirt freshman, he’s stabilized at 7' 9".
Why the Florida Gators are Playing the Long Game
Florida coach Todd Golden is in a weird spot. You have the most famous player in college basketball on your bench, but you can’t just throw him out there for 30 minutes a night. Modern college basketball is fast. It’s built on "pace and space."
If you’re a 7' 9 basketball player, transition defense is your worst nightmare. You’re essentially trying to run a marathon in a hallway that’s too small for you. That’s why the decision for Rioux to redshirt during the 2024-25 season was so smart. He needed that year to just... be. To lift weights. To work on lateral quickness. To learn how to move 305 pounds without blowing out a knee.
The Statistical Glimpses
In the limited minutes he’s seen in the 2025-26 season, the numbers are small but telling:
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- December 17 vs. SFU: 2 minutes, 2 points (1-1 FG).
- November 21 vs. Merrimack: 2 minutes, 1 point (1-2 FT).
- Season Average: Roughly 0.8 points and 0.5 rebounds per game.
Is he winning the Wooden Award? No. But he’s 100% from the field on his career field goal attempts. That’s a fun piece of trivia for the Gator faithful.
The Logistics of a Giant Life
We talk about the "7' 9 basketball player" as a sports commodity, but the lifestyle is a logistical headache. Rioux wears a size 20 shoe. You don't just pick those up at the mall. Most of his gear is custom-made.
Even traveling with the team is a chore. He recently mentioned to the AP that he’s not a fan of the turbulence on team flights. When the plane shakes, and you're that size, there's nowhere to brace yourself. He even had to turn down certain NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) opportunities because he gets motion sickness on boats—so the "Gators at Sea" cruise was a bit of a challenge for him.
Can He Actually Make the NBA?
This is the million-dollar question. If this were 1994, scouts would be salivating. In 2026? It’s complicated.
The NBA today requires big men to defend the perimeter. They have to switch onto guards like Ja Morant or Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. For a guy who is 7' 9", that is a physical impossibility. However, there is always a place for "situational" size.
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- The Pros: You cannot coach 7' 9". He changes the geometry of the rim just by standing near it.
- The Cons: Foot speed. Stamina. Injury risk.
Zach Edey proved that "traditional" bigs can still dominate college ball and find a role in the pros. But Rioux is a different level of big. He's an experiment in what the human frame can do on a basketball court.
Looking Ahead: What to Watch For
If you're following the 7' 9 basketball player this season, don't look at the box score first. Look at how he moves. Is he getting back in transition? Is he setting solid screens?
The Gators are 13-5 and sitting at the top of the SEC right now. They don't need Ollie to be Shaq. They need him to be a specialized tool. A guy who can come in for two minutes, grab two boards, change three shots, and ignite the crowd.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Scouts
- Manage Expectations: Stop comparing him to Wembanyama. They play different sports. Rioux is a traditional "mountain" center; his value is in rim protection and gravity, not step-back threes.
- Watch the Redshirt Development: The fact that he’s actually playing minutes as a redshirt freshman in 2025-26 shows the coaching staff trusts his progress.
- Appreciate the Rarity: We might not see another 7' 9" player in the NCAA for fifty years. Enjoy the spectacle, but respect the work it takes for him to just stay on the floor.
Ultimately, Olivier Rioux is more than a Guinness World Record. He’s a guy trying to prove that in a game that has gone "small," there’s still plenty of room for a giant. Keep an eye on the Gators' upcoming schedule; if the game is a blowout, you’re almost guaranteed to see history check in at the scorer’s table.