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Florida Receive Unfortunate News on 7-Foot-9 Center

Originally posted on Athlon Sports
By Kevin Matthew Borba | Last updated Jul 7, 2025 1:29 PM ET

As fans tuned in to watch the Florida Gators during their run to the NCAA Tournament Championship this past season, they likely noticed a towering figure on the bench.

Standing at 7-foot-9, freshman center Olivier Rioux frequently caught attention for just about anything he did, whether it was being taller than people while sitting down, or cutting down the nets without a ladder.

However, the Guinness World Record holder for being the tallest teenager in the world didn't log a single minute for the Gators. Head coach Todd Golden revealed that Rioux has a long way to go in his development before he can make a meaningful contribution.

A sentiment that CBS Sports' David Cobb revealed is still the case after watching Rioux play for Canada in the FIBA U19 World Cup.

"Florida's 7-foot-9 center Olivier Rioux is making strides, but the FIBA U19 World Cup showed that he isn't ready to hold down a significant role in the SEC just yet," wrote Cobb. "The towering redshirt freshman caught the nation's attention with his hulking frame while participating in practices and pregame warmups with the Gators during their national title run last season. But Rioux's lack of lateral quickness relegated him to a bit role with the Canadian team."

This was Rioux's fifth time playing for Canada in a FIBA tournament, but unfortunately, his least productive statistically. In seven games, he averaged just 1.6 points per game while grabbing two rebounds per game.

His best outing came against Team USA in the team's 108-102 quarterfinals loss, which saw him score three points, grab two rebounds, register two blocks and a steal.

Back in March, Golden admitted it'd be a "challenge" for Rioux to play in the 2025-26 season, but did say he can see him having a role somewhere down the line. A sentiment echoed by Cobb, who called him a "long-term project."

So, while fans may want to see the giant in action, it appears they'll have to wait.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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