Olivier Rioux, Who Is 7-Foot-9, Sets New Record as He Becomes Tallest Player to Compete During March Madness

Oliver Rioux pictured with his Florida Gators teammates Credit: James Gilbert/Getty (2) NEED TO KNOW Florida Gators basketball player Olivier Rioux, who is 7 feet, 9 inches tall, became the tallest player to appear in a NCAA game on Friday, March 20 He stepped on the court in the last few minutes of the game and further widened his team's lead over the Prairie View A&M Panthers with a put-back dunk Rioux previously earned the Guinness World Record of the tallest male teenager in the world at the age of 16 when he was 7 feet, 5 inches Basketball player Olivier Rioux is setting a new record thanks to his impressive height. Rioux, who plays for the Florida Gators men's basketball team, became the tallest player to appear in a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) game after his team took on the Prairie View A&M Panthers on Friday, March 20, according to The Athletic . The basketball player — who is 7 feet, 9 inches tall, per the Gators website — was brought in to play on the court in the last few minutes of the game and sealed the team’s win with a put-back dunk, according to the outlet.

Olivier Rioux #32 of the Florida Gators during the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament on March 20, 2026 Credit: Mike Carlson/Getty A clip of the dunk posted on X by CBS Sports showed him making the two points, with the crowd and his teammates jumping up and going wild right after. His scoring widened the gap over the Panthers and helped the Gators win 114-55. “It feels amazing,” Rioux said after the game, per The Athletic.

The 20-year-old also broke records earlier in the season after becoming the tallest player to play in a college basketball game, score in a game and make a field goal in a game in November and December 2025, per the outlet. His height is notable as he towers over the rest of his team. The next tallest player on the Gators roster is Micah Handlogten, who stands 8 inches shorter than Rioux at 7 feet, 1 inch, per The Athletic.

However, Rioux's college career isn’t the first time he’s broken these kinds of records. He previously took the achievement as the tallest male teenager in the world at the age of 16 when he was 7 feet, 5 inches, according to the Guinness World Records . In his Guinness World Records profile, Rioux shared that his height came with its own pros and cons, which include having to duck under doors and find clothing that fits.