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The mean tallness of a men's hoops program will summation importantly adjacent season.
That's because Olivier Rioux, nan tallest assemblage hoops subordinate ever, is transferring retired of nan University of Florida.
The 7-foot-9 20-year-old announced his determination successful an Instagram post, wherever he thanked his coaches for "believing successful me, for trusting me, and for pushing maine to create each azygous day," arsenic good arsenic "trainers, managers, and support staff."
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Center Olivier Rioux of nan Florida Gators checks into nan crippled for defender Urban Klavzar of nan Florida Gators during nan assemblage hoops crippled betwixt nan Florida Gators and nan Georgia Bulldogs connected Feb. 11, 2026, astatine Stegeman Coliseum successful Athens, Georgia. (Jeffrey Vest/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Rioux said he took clip "to bespeak connected my jersey and what's champion for my future."
"It’s genuinely difficult to put into words what these past 2 years and this acquisition has meant to me. From being raised successful nan state of Quebec backmost location successful Canada, to representing this unthinkable program, wearing these colors and competing astatine nan highest level has been 1 of nan top honors of my life…" Rioux wrote.
"Winning nan nationalist title past twelvemonth was a dream travel existent for each of us. It’s thing we worked for each azygous day, and to acquisition that infinitesimal together is thing I will cherish forever. I will return these memories pinch maine for nan remainder of my life.
"To nan alumni and Florida Victorious, convey you for building nan bequest that we’re truthful proud to represent. And to my teammates, my brothers, convey you for each moment, each battle, each joke, and each memory. The enslaved we stock is untouchable. And astir importantly, convey you to each Gator Nation. Your energy, passion, and support mean everything to me. You’ve stood by maine done it all, and I’m everlastingly grateful to beryllium a portion of this family. This clip together will ever clasp a typical spot successful my heart. Until we meet again. Thank you, merci."
Florida Gators halfway Olivier Rioux gives a instrumentality a high-five aft nan game. The Florida Gators hosted nan Grambling Tigers astatine Exactech Area astatine nan Stephen C. O'Connell Center successful Gainesville, Florida connected Monday, Nov. 11, 2024. (Doug Engle/Gainesville Sun)
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Rioux played sparingly successful 2 years pinch nan Gators, redshirting arsenic a existent freshman during nan team's nationalist title play and past getting connected nan tribunal successful mop-up work this past season. He played 15 full minutes, finishing pinch 7 points, six rebounds , and an assist.
Rioux became nan tallest personification to ever play assemblage hoops erstwhile he made his debut successful a 104-64 triumph complete North Florida past November. He scored 3 games later, making a free propulsion aft getting fouled. He besides recorded his first rebound.
Rioux is 2 inches taller than erstwhile NBA giants Gheorghe Muresan and Manute Bol, and 3 inches taller than celebrated large men Yao Ming, Tacko Fall and Shawn Bradley.
Head coach Todd Golden gave Rioux nan action of playing sparingly arsenic a existent freshman aliases taking a redshirt play and moving connected his game. Rioux chose nan latter. After each 4 frontcourt players returned, Golden made it clear earlier nan play that Rioux would only play precocious successful blowouts.
Florida Gators halfway Olivier Rioux (32) and Prairie View A&M Panthers guardant Hassane Diallo (11) look connected during a first-round crippled of nan men's 2026 NCAA Tournament astatine Benchmark International Arena successful Tampa, Florida, connected Mar. 20, 2026. (Matt Pendleton/Imagn Images)
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But Rioux doubled down connected wanting to beryllium astatine Florida and welcomed nan situation of playing against Alex Condon, Thomas Haugh, Rueben Chinyelu, and Micah Handlogten successful believe and down them successful games.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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