GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Florida coach Todd Golden faced a chorus of shouts at halftime Thursday, with sections of the O’Connell Center chanting “We Want Ollie.” He obliged with 2:09 to play, sending 7-foot-9 center Olivier Rioux onto the court and making history in the Gators’ 104-64 victory over North Florida.
The 19-year-old redshirt freshman from Canada, already listed in Guinness World Records as the world’s tallest teenager, became the tallest person ever to play college basketball in his debut. Rioux drew huge attention simply by stepping on the floor — he never touched the ball — but the moment brought the building to its feet.
“It felt great,” Rioux said after the game, thanking teammates, coaches and fans for their support. Asked about the historic mark, he downplayed it: “It’s another day, I guess.”
Even opponents smiled at the sight. North Florida forward Trey Cady grinned as he measured himself next to Rioux, conceding more than a foot in the matchup.
Golden said he had told players at halftime about the plan to give younger and bench players some minutes once the game was in control. With the Gators up by a wide margin and all four of Florida’s regular frontcourt players fit and playing, Golden had limited Rioux last season and encouraged him to take a redshirt year to develop. Rioux accepted that challenge and spent the year working on his game.
“There’s people yelling at me at halftime about playing him,” Golden said. “I’m like, ‘Listen, it will happen. The time will come.'” He added that Rioux has stayed positive despite limited playing opportunities and has put in a lot of work.
Rioux already had become a campus sensation — viral clips of him riding a bike, ducking through doorways and even cutting down nets while standing flat-footed drew attention during Florida’s NCAA tournament run. Golden and teammates praised his attitude and patience as he adjusted to college life and program routines.
In practice Rioux has been battling established frontcourt players such as Alex Condon, Thomas Haugh, Rueben Chinyelu and Micah Handlogten, who encouraged him before he checked in. “Play with confidence,” Handlogten said. “You’ve worked your butt off for two years now to get to this spot. Now’s your moment. This is your time to shine.” Seeing Rioux run up and down the court with a smile, Handlogten added, was “really good to see.”
Rioux stands two inches taller than former NBA giants Gheorghe Muresan and Manute Bol, and three inches taller than Yao Ming, Tacko Fall and Shawn Bradley. His size had been a talking point since he signed with Florida in 2024, but Thursday marked his first official taste of college-game action.
Fans delivered the loudest ovation of the night — second only to the unveiling of Florida’s championship banner before the game — when Golden motioned Rioux toward the scorer’s table. He peeled off a long-sleeved T-shirt, hustled out, checked in and drew celebration from teammates and coaches. He’ll have to wait for a later appearance to record his first touch, but the debut was a memorable milestone for Rioux and the program.
“It was pretty neat for him to finally see the floor,” Golden said. “He was pretty excited.”