Olivier Rioux (born February 2, 2006) is a Canadian basketball player who attends IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida. Guinness World Records declared him the tallest teenager in the world in 2021, when aged 15 at 7 ft 5 in (2.26 m).[1] Now, 7 ft 7.5 in (2.324 m), Rioux committed to play for the NCAA Division I University of Florida Gators.[2]
| Florida Gators | |
|---|---|
| Position | Center |
| League | Southeastern Conference |
| Personal information | |
| Born | February 2, 2006 Terrebonne, Quebec, Canada |
| Nationality | Canadian |
| Listed height | 7 ft 8 in (2.34 m) |
| Listed weight | 295 lb (134 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | IMG Academy (Bradenton, Florida) |
| College | University of Florida |
Rioux was born in Terrebonne to Jean-Francois, a 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) photographer and former volleyball player, and Anne Gariepy, 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m), who works at the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC). His 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) older brother, Émile, also played basketball. The family has resided in the Anjou borough of Montreal[3] and the suburb of Beloeil. Rioux played for the Canada men's national basketball team and at the FIBA World Cup. Both Olivier and Émile played for multiple Canadian AAU teams. Rioux first gained notoriety while playing internationally for the French Phenoms at age 12 when he was 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m).[4] He played for Real Madrid and Brookwood Elite prior to attending IMG Academy.[5]
External links edit
References edit
- ^ Marcus, Amanda (15 September 2021). "Canadian confirmed as tallest teenager in the world". Guinness World Records. Retrieved 2024-04-06.
- ^ Newman, Logan (December 26, 2023). "Above the Rim and Beyond the Court: Olivier Rioux, the world's tallest teen, is more than just a basketball player". USA Today.
- ^ Rai, Chanda (November 18, 2023). "Olivier Rioux Parents: Father Jean-Francois And Mother Anne". Players Bio. Retrieved 2024-04-06.
- ^ Ewing, Lori (19 June 2018). "Six-foot-ten Canadian 12-year-old gets the attention of NBA players". The Canadian Press. Retrieved 2024-04-06.
- ^ Browne, Ken (2 May 2019). "Canada's new basketball prodigy Olivier Rioux: 13 years old, 2.18m tall, shoe size 20". Olympics.com. International Olympic Committee. Retrieved 2024-04-06.