UC Irvine center Olivier Rioux, standing 7-foot-9, made his debut for the Anteaters on Tuesday and became the tallest player in college basketball history to start a Division I game. Rioux helped UC Irvine secure a 92-66 victory over Chapman (Division III), finishing with a double-double of 13 points and 12 rebounds along with one block in 18 minutes of action.
Rioux shot 6-of-9 from the field. His first basket came less than two minutes into the game when he caught the ball deep in the post and laid it in easily. Later, he threw down a one-handed dunk without leaving the floor, highlighting his extraordinary standing reach. The transfer from Florida logged more minutes in his UCI debut (18) than he did in his entire two-year career with the Gators (17).
Rioux spent his first two seasons at Florida as a preferred walk-on, appearing in 11 games during the 2025-26 season while the Gators won the 2025 national championship. He was behind a deep frontcourt that included Alex Condon, Thomas Haugh, and Rueben Chinyelu. His move to UC Irvine opens a clearer path to playing time.
In 2021, Guinness World Records recognized Rioux as the tallest teenager in the world at 7-foot-5. When he checked in against North Florida last season, he became the tallest college basketball player ever to appear in a game at any level. His height was on full display during Florida's 2025 Elite Eight win over Texas Tech, when he cut down the nets without needing a ladder.
