7-foot-9 Florida Center Olivier Rioux Makes Historic College Hoops Debut
During halftime of Florida’s dominant win over Northern Florida on Thursday night, coach Todd Golden overheard fans urging him to play redshirt freshman Olivier Rioux. Fans had eagerly awaited over a year to see the 7-foot-9 player, the tallest in college basketball history, finally take the court for the Gators.
Coach's Initial Reluctance
Golden explained his hesitation, saying,
“I said, ‘Listen, it will happen, the time will come.’ I can be stubborn. I don’t listen to direction very well at times, so when they’re yelling at me to do it, it’s kinda like, ‘Well, maybe I’ll wait a little longer.’”
Historic Moment and Crowd Reaction
With the game comfortably in hand and just over two minutes remaining, amid chants of “We Want Ollie,” Golden finally allowed Rioux to enter. Rioux rose from the bench and walked to the scorer’s table, sparking a wild reaction from the crowd as he officially became the tallest player ever in college basketball.
- Rioux played two minutes in the 104-64 victory.
- He did not record any statistics during the short appearance.
Rioux's Gratitude for Support
“The support from everybody was amazing, even on the bench and even the fans. I think everybody supported, and I’m very grateful.”
This debut marks a memorable milestone for both Rioux and the Florida Gators.
Author's summary: Olivier Rioux's long-awaited collegiate debut as college basketball's tallest player was met with overwhelming fan support, marking a significant moment in Florida basketball history.