If you think LeBron James is big, wait until you see Olivier Rioux. While LeBron was busy avoiding alligators on the golf course, this young man was making history on the basketball court. At 7 feet 9 inches tall, Olivier Rioux is the tallest college basketball player ever. In fact, he is so tall that he makes the basketball hoop look like it belongs in a playground!
Olivier Rioux, the tallest college player ever, is turning heads at 7’9”
Olivier is currently a freshman at the University of Florida. Even though he is not in the NBA yet, everyone is talking about him. If he joins the NBA today, he would instantly become the tallest player in the history of the league.
To show you how tall that is, let’s compare him to some famous giants:
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Victor Wembanyama: The NBA’s current superstar is 7’4″. Olivier is 5 inches taller than him!
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Yao Ming: One of the most famous tall players ever was 7’6″. Olivier is still 3 inches taller.
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The Rim: A basketball hoop is 10 feet high. Olivier can almost touch the rim without even jumping!
Olivier was born in Quebec, Canada in 2006. He didn’t just wake up tall one day, he has been a giant his whole life! When he was 8 years old, he was already 6’1″ (taller than most grown men).
By the time he was in 6th grade, he was 6’11”. He holds the Guinness World Record for the tallest teenager in the world.
Because he is so big, his life is a bit different. He has to duck under almost every door he walks through. He wears size 20 shoes, which are very hard to find! He even has a special, extra-long bed at home so his feet don’t hang off the edge.
Doctors have studied Olivier to see why he is so tall. They found that he doesn’t have a medical “problem” , it’s just his genes. His whole family is very tall! His dad is 6’8″, his mom is 6’2″, and his brother is 6’9″. Olivier just happened to get the “tallest” genes of them all.
While he is still learning and getting faster, fans are excited to see if he will bring his “no-jump dunks” to the NBA soon. One thing is for sure: no one will want to block his shot!
