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7-foot-9 center Olivier Rioux tries his hand at football

On3 imageby: Zach Abolverdi07/25/25ZachAbolverdi
Olivier-Rioux-Florida-Gators
Florida Gators center Olivier Rioux (32) gestures towards Florida Gators mascot Albert the Alligator during the National Championship celebration at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. (Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images)

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — At 7-foot-9, blocking shots on the court come easy for Olivier Rioux. But blocking a field goal? Not so much.

Rioux, the tallest player in college basketball history, recently tried his hand at football.

“Did you guys know that Ollie went out and did some special teams?” Florida Gators men’s basketball coach Todd Golden revealed Thursday night at his Champions Portrait event.

“I like the idea. I give them credit for trying it.”

Golden then called over assistant coach Jonathan Safir to confirm the Rioux story. And he had video proof.

“He tried to box some kicks,” Safir said, pulling up footage on his phone.

In the video, the 350-pound Rioux is in the indoor practice facility with a helmet on and lined up in front of a UF kicker as he attempts field goals. Did Rioux block any kicks?

“No,” Safir said. “Where he might have helped out is the kicker claimed that it altered the depth perception of the angles that they thought he needed a kick. But he didn’t block any.”

Rioux is a Guinness World Record holder for the tallest teenager and has an 8-foot wingspan. Despite his height and reach, he only has an 11-inch vertical and will not be the next Jarvis Moss.

“They were a little disappointed,” Golden said.

Fortunately for Rioux, he’s made progress on the court this summer and will have his number called at UF next season. He was part of the Under-19 Canadian national team and played well against the United States in the FIBA U19 World Cup in Switzerland earlier this month.

Rioux finished with 3 points, two rebounds, two blocks and a steal in 12 minutes of action. He also guarded the last in-bounds play of the first half, forcing a turnover on an errant pass that was intercepted and then Canada made a 3-pointer from halfcourt at the buzzer.

After taking a developmental redshirt in 2024-25 and working on the Gators’ scout team, Golden plans to play Rioux in his second year on campus.

“I think he’ll be more of a factor,” Golden said. “I’m not sure he’s a guy we’re going throw it into him every time, but he can score the ball in the post. His hands have gone a lot better and his feel and just his comfort on the floor has got a lot better. So, he’s put in an incredibly good summer. He’s working.”

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