“I am proud to announce that I have committed to the Florida Gators for the 2024 season,” Rioux wrote on his official Instagram account. Rioux, 18, is taller than NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal and rookie Victor Wembanyama. Additionally, he holds a Guinness World Record for being the tallest teenager in the world. “You can use it for almost everything…You can use it for being famous. You can use it for basketball, you can use it for the highest shelf in the kitchen or whatever,” Rioux shared with TSN.

Despite his young age, the Florida commit with the towering height is achieving the highest possible level. Until now, he has played for FIBA for four consecutive years, though his PPG (points per game) and RPG (rebounds per game) have witnessed a significant decrease over the years. Back in 2021, he averaged 8.3 PPG and 10.3 RPG, whereas now he averages 4.5 PPG and 4.5 RPG. But achieving this wasn’t an easy task.

How Olivier Rioux progressed over the years?

Born and brought up in Canada, both Olivier Rioux and his brother Emile inherited height from their parents. While their father Jean-Francois is 6 foot 8, their mother Anne Gariepy is 6 foot 1. But height wasn’t the only gene inherited. Both Rioux boys opted to follow in their father’s footsteps, but in a different sport. While their father played volleyball, both Emile and Olivier Rioux ended up on a professional basketball court.

In 2021, he became the tallest teenager in the world at just 15 years old, standing 7 foot 5 with a healthy body. This exceptional height led his name to be registered in the Guinness Book of World Records. “We’re still not 100% sure why I’m so tall; after investigation, doctors could only explain it with the genetics that my family has,” says Rioux.

Watching his older brother on the basketball court, Rioux already knew how to maximize the use of his height. At the age of 12 in an international Spain tournament, Rioux had the momentous marker of his basketball career that shot him to fame. Since then, he played for Team Canada, Team Quebec, and IMG Academy. But the question is: how did he end up at Florida Gators?

A deeper look into the tallest teenager’s basketball skills

When Rioux entered Team Canada’s roster, the team had already switched to a 2-3 zone and was left with 4:45 to play. As he camped in, he immediately impacted the defense the entire time. Additionally, when he got back to offense, he portrayed some pick-and-roll action.

As he played five games, he averaged 3.2 points and recorded 3.4 rebounds per game, appearing for 31 minutes. Not only this, but he also made seven of the eight shots he attempted. Undoubtedly, all these skills might have helped Rioux secure a place with the Florida Gators.

In a rather funny incident, Rioux last year, after the NBA finals, took to his official Instagram account and extended heartfelt congratulations to Jamal Murray. As per him, Murray had one asked for a picture with him. Alongside his picture, he penned, “Congrats to Jamal Murray for winning the NBA Championship with Denver! @jmglitxh27 Do you remember 5 years ago you were the one asking for the picture 😂 #nbacanada”

Moving on, Rioux is already making headlines, but this next big guy has to prove that his offensive skills go beyond his 7 foot 9 frame. Now the question is: will he be able to do that?

Stay tuned for more such updates, and to follow what Shaq’s ex-agent, Leonard Armato, has to say about the infamous Shaq-Kobe feud, Caitlin Clark’s Olympic snub, and more, watch this video.