Olivier Rioux, pictured in a warm-up last month, has now made his first official dunk

World’s Tallest Teen Olivier Rioux Sets College Basketball Record

World’s Tallest Teen Olivier Rioux Sets NCAA Record with Dunk

Olivier Rioux, the 7ft 9in (2.36m) Canadian center for the Florida Gators, has made history as the tallest player to score in a college basketball game.

Historic Dunk for the Record Books

The 19-year-old towered over the defense as he threw down a late-game dunk in Florida’s 102-61 rout of Saint Francis on Wednesday.

While the dunk was his first field goal in NCAA competition, Rioux had already recorded a point via a free throw against Merrimack back on 21 November.

This milestone adds to his growing profile in the basketball world, after being certified by Guinness World Records in 2021 as the world’s tallest teenager at the time—then measuring 7ft 5in (2.26m).

Where Does Rioux Stand in the Global Basketball Landscape?

Rioux is not just the tallest player in college basketball history, but would also out-measure every current NBA player if he were to make the leap to the professional level.

Player	Height	Team
Olivier Rioux	7ft 9in	Florida Gators (NCAA)
Victor Wembanyama	7ft 4in	San Antonio Spurs (NBA)
Zach Edey	7ft 3in	Memphis Grizzlies (NBA)
Donovan Clingan	7ft 2in	Portland Trail Blazers (NBA)
Walker Kessler	7ft 2in	Utah Jazz (NBA)
Kristaps Porzingis	7ft 2in	Atlanta Hawks (NBA)

Taller Than NBA Legends

Rioux would even eclipse the heights of NBA legends Manute Bol and Gheorghe Muresan, both listed at 7ft 7in (2.31m)—the tallest ever in NBA history.

The only other player close in stature was China’s Sun Mingming, previously named the tallest active player in 2013 at 7ft 8.98in, before retiring a year later.

What’s Next for Rioux?

Still early in his college career, Rioux is expected to develop his game further, and his physical presence alone makes him a fascinating prospect for scouts and fans alike.

With his elite size, global attention, and a rapidly evolving NCAA resume, Olivier Rioux’s basketball journey is just beginning—and it could very well lead to professional basketball history.