NBA News NBA News, Match Reports and Updates
The tallest player in college basketball history is headed elsewhere next season.
Florida center Olivier Rioux, a 7-foot-9 redshirt freshman, intends to enter the transfer portal, he announced on social media on Tuesday, March 31. The window to transfer opens April 7 — the day after the national championship on Monday, April 6 — and ends April 21.
Advertisement
“After taking time to reflect on my journey and what’s best for my future, I’ve decided to enter the transfer portal,” he wrote as part of a longer message.
REQUIRED READING: ‘You’re a big boy!’ Florida giant Olivier Rioux’s height shocks Prairie View A&M player
Rioux played limited minutes in 2025-26, scoring seven total points in 17 minutes. He became both the tallest player to ever score in an NCAA Tournament and SEC conference game this season, and could be an interesting prospect for teams to take a shot on if he’s able to develop, given his other-worldly size.
The Quebec, Canada, native attended IMG Academy, a popular prep high school in Bradenton, Florida, before securing a preferred a roster spot at Florida. He was a 3-star recruit, according to 247Sports’ Composite, with reported offers from Florida Atlantic and Stetson, before choosing the Gators.
Advertisement
He has experience with Canada’s national team, having played a significant role for multiple of its younger squads. He averaged 4.5 points with 4.5 rebounds per game in Canada’s U18 FIBA AmeriCup bronze medal win in 2023.
Rioux won a national championship at Florida in 2024-25, although he redshirted that season, focusing on development with the Gators’ scout team. After being on back-to-back No. 1 seeds, perhaps he’s ready for more substantial player time next season, albeit with a different school.
Olivier Rioux dunk vs Prairie View A&M
Rioux grabbed an offensive rebound before throwing down a dunk in which he barely had to jump in Florida’s first-round win over No. 16 seed Prairie View A&M in the NCAA Tournament. The crowd expectedly went wild after he scored, given his popularity.
Rioux’s final game at Florida was his best showing, although it came during Florida’s 60-plus point lead. He…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/floridas-olivier-rioux-7-foot-142520695.html
Author :
Publish date : 2026-03-31 14:25:00
Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.
