World’s Tallest Teenager Could Make Florida Gators #1
Whether you have heard of him or not, 7-foot 9 Florida Gator freshman Olivier Rioux will make huge waves when he begins his first of play next season. He began his rise to fame after being named the Guinness World Record holder for the world’s tallest teen. The internet sensation has been hyped up even more after videos emerged of him dunking without even leaving the ground during his grade school practices and games.
As a freshman in college, he’s only 20 pounds lighter than Shaq was in his prime and stands 8 inches taller. For more perspective, that’s 8 inches taller than Joel Embiid, and 3 inches taller than Tacko Fall. Should he end up in the NBA, he would be the tallest player to ever be drafted. Though it’s hard to imagine a player more dominant than Shaquille O’Neal, but the 7-9 305-pound Rioux could very well reshape our definition of the word. He could also potentially draw more pre-draft hype than another phenom that recently dazzled the NBA in his rookie year and continues to do so this season: Victor Wembanyama.
Victor Wembanyama became the most sought-after rookie since LeBron James last season. Analysts, experts, and fans were hysterical about his size combined with his almost video game skillset. He played a very solid rookie year averaging over 20 points per game and ended the season with a Rookie of the Year award and a silver medal in the Olympics. He’s currently averaging 25.6 PPG and 10 rebounds and heads into January after averaging just over 28 PPG last month. But as big and skilled as Wemby is, Rioux is still 6 inches taller and almost 50 pounds. heavier. Whether that will translate to success on the court remains to be seen.
When Florida Will Unleash Rioux
Olivier Rioux will make his debut next year after redshirting this year so he can focus on development. By doing so and not logging any minutes, he can maintain all four years of college eligibility. If he logs even 10 seconds of play, that will count as official playtime and cost him a season. That means that the Gators and coach Todd Golden can focus on developing his skills and preventing injury while also being able to enjoy the fruits of this year’s labor for 4 solid years to come.
Early scouting reports praised his ability to clog the rim and use his size to take up space, but his coordination and footwork were areas of concern. A year to develop those skills could make him a weapon for a Florida team that already boasts a perfect 13-0 season so far. Sadly, his debut will most likely have to wait while his hype continues to grow. But the excitement heading into the 2025 season will be at an all-time high. With players like Cooper Flagg, Dylan Harper, and Tre Johnson leading the way this year, Rioux will be a very welcome addition to the league.
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