Florida's 7-foot-9 Olivier Rioux Makes College Basketball Debut
The moment Florida Gators fans have eagerly awaited finally arrived on Thursday night. Olivier Rioux, standing 7-foot-9, stepped onto the court with about two minutes remaining in the game. This marked the college debut of the tallest player currently in college basketball.
Though his appearance came in a 40-point victory over North Florida, it was a significant milestone. Every athlete has to begin somewhere, and the crowd responded with great enthusiasm to Rioux entering the game.
“Gator fans went WILD for Olivier Rioux checking into the game 🐊 (via @SECNetwork).”
Rioux did not register any statistics during his brief two-minute playtime but served as a celebratory finish to an important win for Florida. After opening their season with a loss to No. 13 Arizona, the Gators returned home to face the in-state but less competitive Ospreys, resulting in a decisive 104-64 victory with 52 points scored in each half.
Rioux spent last year on campus as a national champion during his redshirt season, gaining recognition for cutting down his portion of the championship net.
Game Summary
- Florida won 104-64 against North Florida.
- Rioux played approximately two minutes.
- The Gators scored 52 points each half.
- This was Rioux's official college debut despite being on campus last year.
Olivier Rioux's debut hints at promising developments for the Florida Gators' basketball future.