Florida's 7-foot-9 Olivier Rioux finally makes his college basketball debut

Florida's 7-foot-9 Olivier Rioux Makes College Basketball Debut

The long-awaited moment arrived for Florida Gators fans when Olivier Rioux, standing 7-foot-9, stepped onto the court with about two minutes remaining on Thursday night.

This marked the college debut of the tallest player in college basketball. Although the situation was somewhat anticlimactic, as it happened during a 40-point victory over North Florida, it was an important first step.

“This was it, the college debut of the tallest player in college hoops.”

Gator fans enthusiastically cheered as Rioux entered the game.

In his two minutes of play, Rioux did not record any statistics but served as a celebratory presence in a much-needed team win.

The Gators had started the season with a tough loss against No. 13 Arizona. Returning home to face in-state opponents North Florida Ospreys, a less challenging team, proved to be a welcome break.

The defending national champions dominated the game, scoring 52 points in each half for a 104-64 victory.

Rioux was on the Florida campus last year, during which he redshirted and earned a national championship title while known for ceremonially cutting down a piece of the championship net.

“Rioux was on campus last year, a national champion in his redshirt year, known most for cutting down his piece of the net from the ground.”

Summary

Olivier Rioux’s first college appearance, though brief and statless, was celebrated by Gator fans as he begins his journey as college basketball’s tallest player with the defending champions.

Sporting News — 2025-11-07

Florida's 7-foot-9 Olivier Rioux Makes College Basketball Debut

Summary

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