Florida Basketball's Olivier Rioux Makes NCAA History
Florida basketball’s redshirt freshman Olivier Rioux set a new NCAA record during the Gators’ victory. Standing 7-foot-9, Rioux became the tallest player ever to appear in a college basketball game, marking a historic milestone for Florida basketball.
A Historic Moment Overshadowing the Banner Unveiling
While the Gators' national championship banner was unveiled during their home opener, that moment was overshadowed by another historic event. With just over two minutes remaining in Florida’s 104-64 win over North Florida, the student section chanted for 7-foot-9 freshman Olivier Rioux to enter the game.
Coach’s Decision and Rioux’s Debut
After some encouragement from the crowd, head coach Todd Golden turned to Rioux and allowed him to play. Rioux recalled,
“Todd just looked at me. And I just (pretends to take shirt off) with my t-shirt.”
The crowd erupted as Rioux stepped onto the court with 2 minutes and nine seconds left, officially becoming the tallest player in college basketball history in front of 10,065 spectators.
Rioux’s Reaction
“It felt great. The support from everybody was amazing. Even on the bench and even with the fans. I’m very grateful.”
“It’s another day, I guess,”
he said modestly about holding the record.
Coach Golden’s Perspective
“Not something that I think that much about. I like the banner dropping before better. I'm happy for him that he got an opportunity to get out there tonight.”