They say that the sky is the limit when it comes to people pursuing greatness, but for Florida basketball’s towering center Olivier Rioux, the higher altitudes are where he reigns.
The 7-foot-9-inch native of Canada, who is designated as the world’s tallest teenager by the Guinness Book of World Records, still has some work to do when it comes to getting court time for the Gators this coming season. But that did not stop him from taking an opportunity to work out with the football program recently.
The team’s special teams coaches geared Rioux up and gave him a few snaps during practice, hoping that his height and wingspan could prove to be an effective approach for blocking field goals and extra points. During a booster event on Thursday evening, coach Todd Golden seemed perfectly fine with him getting some reps on the gridiron.
“I like the idea,” he said. “I give them credit for trying it.”
However, the experiment was less than successful. Sure, Rioux is tall and long, but he is only able to achieve an 11-inch vertical leap with his 305-pound frame, which just does not cut it for that specific role.
“They were a little disappointed,” Golden offered. It sounds like he will stick to basketball… at least, for now.
Rioux competed on behalf of Team Canada this summer in the 2025 FIBA U19 World Cup, helping his team earn a 5-2 record while finishing fifth overall in the standings. In seven games played, the young Gator totaled 11 points, 14 rebounds, five blocks and one assist while averaging a little over nine minutes per contest.
The redshirt freshman is expected to see some playing time during Florida’s defense of its national championship next season, but he will be limited by the team’s depth in the front court. With Alex Condon, Thomas Haugh, Micah Handlogten and Reuben Chinyelu all returning, Rioux will most likely be relegated to garbage time.
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This article originally appeared on Gators Wire: World’s tallest teen, Florida basketball center Olivier Rioux gives football a try
Reporting by Adam Dubbin, Gators Wire / Gators Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
