Olivier Rioux’s Record-Breaking Dunk: How Florida’s 7ft 9in Giant Is Rewriting College Basketball
At 7ft 9in (2.36m), Florida Gators centre Olivier Rioux has just thrown down more than a dunk—he’s dropped a marker in basketball history. With his first collegiate slam, Rioux became the tallest player ever to score a dunk in the college game, instantly turning a December matchup into a viral moment and forcing the sport to reckon with what a near-8-foot centre could mean at the highest level.
A record dunk that echoes beyond Gainesville
Rioux’s dunk for the Florida Gators isn’t just a trivia nugget; it’s a milestone in the evolution of college basketball. If he eventually steps into the NBA, he would tower over every current player—including 7ft 4in Victor Wembanyama, whom the league lists as its tallest active star. The contrast is staggering: college arenas now house an athlete who would literally look down on the NBA’s most imposing giant.
From viral phenom to NCAA history maker
Basketball fans have heard the name Olivier Rioux for years. The Canadian centre first made headlines as a teen, photographed standing a full head above NBA players at camps and youth tournaments. Listed by Guinness World Records as one of the tallest teenagers on the planet, he’s been a fascination long before he enrolled at the University of Florida.
Now, as a freshman with the Florida Gators men’s basketball team, Rioux has converted that curiosity into a tangible on-court achievement: the first recorded college dunk by a 7ft 9in player. In a sport where records are often about points and titles, this one is about scale—literally redefining what a “big man” looks like in the NCAA.
- Nationality: Canadian
- College team: Florida Gators (SEC)
- Listed height: 7ft 9in (2.36m)
- Position: Centre
- Claim to fame: Tallest player ever to dunk in a college basketball game
“You don’t coach that kind of size. Our job is to help him turn it into impact,” a Florida assistant said recently, reflecting the staff’s long-term vision for Rioux.
How Rioux towers over today’s giants
To grasp the scale of this moment, compare Rioux’s height with the tallest current NBA players. According to official league listings, Victor Wembanyama sits at 7ft 4in, while several other centres hover around the 7ft–7ft 2in range. Rioux clears them all—by a lot.
| Player | Level | Team | Listed Height |
|---|---|---|---|
| Olivier Rioux | NCAA | Florida Gators | 7ft 9in (2.36m) |
| Victor Wembanyama | NBA | San Antonio Spurs | 7ft 4in (2.24m) |
| Kristaps Porziņģis | NBA | Boston Celtics | 7ft 2in (2.18m) |
| Bol Bol | NBA | Phoenix Suns | 7ft 2in (2.18m) |
Even in an era where length and wingspan are prized, Rioux pushes basketball into uncharted territory. He doesn’t just match the league’s skyscrapers—he looks over the top of them.
What Rioux’s dunk means for the Florida Gators
For Florida, Rioux’s record dunk is part highlight, part long-term investment. Head coach Todd Golden and his staff know that at this stage, the 7ft 9in centre is more of a developmental piece than a 30-minute-a-night anchor. But every minute he plays—and every touch near the rim—forces opponents into uncomfortable adjustments.
- Automatic vertical spacing: Rioux’s sheer height transforms entry passes into layups and dunks if he seals deep enough.
- Defensive distraction: Even when he isn’t blocking shots, ball-handlers think twice about challenging a nearly 8-foot frame.
- Rotation flexibility: Florida can toggle between smaller, switch-heavy lineups and a traditional, paint-anchored look with Rioux.
The coaching staff’s challenge is to sync his size with the tempo of today’s college game. That means conditioning, footwork, and pick-and-roll coverages tailored to a player who alters sightlines just by stepping on the floor.
Early numbers: beyond the viral clip
While the dunk is what fans will remember, Rioux’s impact will ultimately be measured in steady progress, not just highlight reels. Early-season minutes have been limited, but even in short stints he changes the geometry of the floor.
| Minutes | Points | Rebounds | Blocks | FG% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Limited bench minutes | Low single digits | 1–3 | Occasional | High—mostly at the rim |
Note: Exact statistics will evolve over the season; consult official box scores and NCAA databases for updated numbers.
The box score won’t fully capture what his presence does to shot charts and driving lanes. Guards pull up earlier. Bigs are nudged further from their sweet spots. Even when he doesn’t get a hand on the ball, he’s in the scouting report.
Hype vs. reality: can a 7ft 9in centre thrive at the highest level?
Any time a player with extreme size hits the floor, the debate follows quickly: is he a long-term star or a novelty? Rioux sits at the centre of that conversation.
- The optimist’s view: With the right development, Rioux’s size could make him an elite rim protector and a near-automatic finisher around the basket, even against professional bigs.
- The skeptic’s view: Modern basketball demands mobility, switchability, and perimeter awareness—areas where hyper-tall players often struggle, especially against NBA pace and spacing.
“It’s not just about how tall you are, it’s how fast you can make decisions at that height,” one NBA scout noted, framing Rioux’s path as a test of adaptability as much as size.
His trajectory will likely be measured year by year. If conditioning improves, if defensive reads sharpen, and if he can defend in space even in short stretches, the conversation shifts from curiosity to real NBA projection.
The human side of being basketball’s tallest active player
Behind the record and the highlight clip is a 19-year-old adapting to campus life in a body few people on earth can relate to. From custom beds and specially tailored clothes to constantly being asked for photos, everyday life for Rioux is far from ordinary.
Teammates often describe him as soft-spoken, focused, and surprisingly light-hearted for someone under such a bright spotlight. In the locker room, he’s less “the tallest player in college basketball” and more just another Gator chasing wins in the SEC grind.
That human element matters. Development is rarely linear, and for players with exceptional size, managing health and workload is as important as mastering footwork or shot mechanics.
What’s next: from record dunk to long-term impact
Rioux’s dunk will live on as a piece of college basketball history, but for Florida and for the player himself, it’s just the start. The coming seasons will reveal whether this is remembered as a fun fact—or as the opening chapter in the career of one of the sport’s most unique big men.
- Can Florida build schemes that maximize his rim protection without sacrificing pace?
- Will his conditioning allow for extended stretches against the SEC’s most athletic frontcourts?
- How will professional scouts weigh unprecedented size against modern stylistic demands?
For now, the basketball world will keep watching Gainesville. Every time Rioux checks in, he’s doing more than playing a few minutes at centre—he’s stress-testing the limits of what size can mean in the modern game.
For official statistics and schedule updates, visit the Florida Gators men’s basketball page, the NCAA Division I men’s basketball hub, and the NBA’s official site for league-wide context.
