Before he even played his first game for Florida, center Olivier Rioux became one of the most recognizable players in college basketball last season. It was hard not to recognize him, of course—at 7' 9", Rioux is perhaps the tallest basketball player in the sport’s history, and as the Gators marched to the national championship, he went viral every time he was able to cut down a piece of the net without so much as considering a ladder.
The Québécois big man opted to redshirt for the entire 2024–25 season in order to maintain a year of eligibility and develop as a player—and adjust to life on a big SEC campus as a nearly eight-foot tall freshman. Even before he played a second for Florida, he became a true fan favorite, as was evident when he made his way onto the court for his first true game action on Thursday night.
