Florida Gators 7-Foot-9 Center, Olivier Rioux Enters Transfer Portal

The tallest player to ever play in a college basketball game, Olivier Rioux, is entering the transfer portal and stands at 7-foot-9.

Rioux was a member of the Florida Gators’ national championship team in 2025 and played a bit for them this season before announcing on social media that he is entering the transfer portal.

“After taking time to reflect on my journey and what’s best for my future, I’ve decided to enter the transfer portal,” Rioux wrote in his social media post.

Rioux is one of the more polarizing players to have ever entered the transfer portal, and for good reason. His height alone is intimidating, making seven-footers look tiny when standing next to him.

It was hard for Rioux to see playing time this season, as Florida had one of, if not the best, frontcourts in the nation with All-American Thomas Haugh, Alex Condon, Rueben Chinyelu and Micah Handlogten.

The Gators head coach, Todd Golden, said he thinks Rioux will be a good player, even if it means playing for a different school.

“I know he’s sitting over there probably like, ‘Damn man, I didn’t know all these guys were coming back,'” Golden said. “So it’s going to be a tough one this year to play. It really will be. But … I do think he has some really good basketball ahead of him, whether it’s here at Florida or somewhere else.”

Rioux still has three seasons of eligibility left after redshirting his freshman season.

Wherever he ends up, he will surely be a viral sensation, especially now that he will likely see a larger role and consistent playing time.

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Article by Sam Lanier