Florida basketball's Olivier Rioux makes NCAA history as tallest player to play in a game

Florida's Olivier Rioux Makes NCAA History

Florida basketball redshirt freshman Olivier Rioux made NCAA history during the Gators’ win over North Florida. Standing at 7 feet 9 inches, Rioux became the tallest player ever to appear in an NCAA game, marking a milestone for both him and the program.

A Historic Moment at Home

Despite the evening also featuring the unveiling of Florida’s national championship banner, the spotlight shifted to Rioux’s debut. In the final minutes of Florida’s 104–64 victory, the student section began chanting for the towering freshman to take the court.

After the chants grew louder, head coach Todd Golden turned to Rioux, signaling for him to check in. The arena erupted as the crowd of 10,065 witnessed the historic substitution.

Reactions From Rioux and Coach Golden

“Todd just looked at me,” Rioux said. “And I just pretended to take my shirt off. It felt great. The support from everybody was amazing — from the bench to the fans. I’m very grateful.”

His appearance came with 2 minutes and 9 seconds left in the game, officially cementing his place in NCAA history. When asked what it meant to him, Rioux smiled:

“It’s another day, I guess.”

Coach Golden also shared his thoughts on the moment:

“Not something I think that much about,” Golden said. “I liked the banner dropping before better. But I'm happy for him that he got a chance to be out there tonight.”

Author’s Summary

Olivier Rioux’s brief but record-setting debut for Florida basketball turned a routine win into a historic NCAA moment marked by gratitude and fan excitement.

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Gainesville Sun Gainesville Sun — 2025-11-07

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