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At 7-foot-8, Olivier Rioux is the world's tallest teenager. The high school senior has committed to joining the Florida Gators later this year. Currently a student of IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, the Montreal native is working on expanding his skills. On3 rates him as a three-star recruit and is considered a top 150 prospect in the Class of 2024.
A video of Rioux made its way to the college basketball subreddit and fans were shocked by his height and began debating his prospects. After 7-foot-4 Victor Wembanyama, this fan did not want Olivier Rioux to go to San Antonio.
"Praying he doesn't get drafted by the Spurs after he is done with college."
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Here are some other reactions.
This fan opined that Rioux would become the new standard in the dating world.
Some fans believed Olivier Rioux would be like fellow Canadian Zach Edey. Many have drawn comparisons between the two.
Often, big players are not known to be athletic and can be restricted to certain roles and areas. Will the center restrain the prospects or will he expand his skillsets? That remains to be seen.
Being tall comes with its own set of disadvantages. Some fans pointed them out.
State rival Florida State Seminoles would be punching the air right now for losing a prospect like him.
Olivier Rioux draws inspiration from Victor Wembanyama
Olivier Rioux holds the Guinness record for being the world's tallest teenager, taller than Chet Holmgren, Bol Bol, and Victor Wembanyama. Given how Wembanyama is changing the definition of a tall player in the league with his outstanding mobility and diverse skill set, Rioux naturally looks up to him.
“(Wembanyama) is growing basketball for us, for the tall guys,” Rioux said last year (via Yahoo Sports). “I’ve seen him train and know some of his training and know some of the work he does. I like it. He owns it.
"He can do the splits. I don’t know if you understand how big that is, for a big man, but doing the splits for us is very hard.”
Rioux appeared for his national team in the U19 FIBA World Cup last summer, averaging 3.2 points and 3.4 rebounds per game.
His shot at fame came in 2018, when his highlight reel went viral, catching the attention of Stephen Curry and Joel Embiid.
Rioux will be the tallest player in NCAA Division I when he joins the Gators, surpassing 7-foot-5, 235-pound Jamarion Sharp of the Ole Miss Rebels.
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