Who is Florida commit, Olivier Rioux? What we know about the tallest teenager in the world

Olivier Rioux, a Canadian center, holds the title of the world’s tallest teenager according to Guinness World Records. As Purdue’s Zach Edey will most likely depart after the current March Madness tournament, the NCAA will not have to wait long for another exceptionally large center to emerge.

Rioux announced his commitment to the Florida Gators on Instagram and has since remained true to his decision.

According to Yahoo Sports, Rioux stands at seven-foot-7.5 inches with shoes. Guinness first measured his height last year and listed it as seven-foot-5.33 inches, presumably without shoes, when he was only 16 years old.

At the age of 17, Olivier Rioux is about to start his freshman year, making him one of the tallest players in NCAA history and the tallest in the SEC (according to BVM Sports).

About Olivier Rioux

During his time at IMG Academy playing AAU basketball, Olivier Rioux was commonly referred to as the Montrealer Giant (via Yahoo Sports). He was born on Feb. 2, 2006, into a family with a tall stature.

Essentially, this indicates that his height is not considered abnormal, but rather a result of his excellent genetics. According to his GWR page, Rioux’s father stands at six-foot-eight, his mother at six-foot-two, and his brother at six-foot-nine. This suggests that his family has a genetic predisposition for above-average height.

The young man himself provided an explanation for his towering height:

“We’re still not 100% sure why I’m so tall – after investigation, doctors could only explain it with the genetics that my family has.”

Despite being exceptionally tall as youngsters, Chet Holmgren, Bol Bol, and Victor Wembanyama are still a few inches shorter than him due to his immense height. He already stands taller than several of the NBA’s tallest players, solidifying his stature in the league.

Rioux is known to be even taller than Purdue’s towering Zach Edey. It’s no secret that Edey, a fellow Canadian, stands out in terms of height compared to others.

Possible integration of Rioux into Florida’s current lineup

At present, there are available roster positions that Olivier Rioux could easily fill, given that Florida’s season has already ended.

According to Sports Illustrated, Tyrese Samuel, a senior standing at six-foot-10, will be leaving, as will fellow frontcourt player EJ Jarvis, who has also ended his college career. Despite being a relatively inexperienced player, Rioux’s impressive size makes him an enticing option for the Gators to experiment with on the court.

It remains to be seen if they could achieve success by implementing the strategies that Purdue has been using with Edey over the years.