SAN ANTONIO — Florida’s convoy of quality big men is one of its defining characteristics as the Gators prepare to face fellow No. 1 seed Auburn on Saturday night in the Final Four. UF boasts a deep convoy of frontcourt players that have made it one of college basketball’s elite rebounding and shot-blocking teams.
But the biggest of the Gators’ bigs hasn’t logged a single minute this season. Redshirting 7-foot-9 center Olivier Rioux has made an impact, though. The towering 19-year-old is a difference-maker in practice.
“I mean, he stands up and his hands are above the rim,” 7-foot-1 Florida center Micah Handlogten told CBS Sports. “He’s crazy. But it helps us with our touch around the rim and going through contact and stuff like that, because he’s a big dude. He’s been really instrumental with that. I’ve always been the tallest guy on any team I’ve been on until this year. So it’s definitely an adjustment.”
Rioux cut his piece of the net after Florida’s SEC Tournament and Regional Final victories without a ladder. The towering Canadian surpassed the 7-foot mark before reaching seventh grade and holds a Guinness World Record as the world’s tallest teenager.
“My model was my dad,” Rioux said. “Whenever we were at the mall or whatever … everyone would come up to us and say, ‘Oh my God, how tall are you? Even your child is tall.’ But it was always respectful.”
Rioux takes the attention that his towering frame brings in stride. He is “the friendliest guy you’ll ever meet,” Handlogten said.
Though he’s not seen the court for Florida this season, Rioux has logged plenty of game action while representing Canada in international competition in recent years. At Florida, the staff is focused on getting him physically prepared for the rigors of high-major college basketball.
“It’s work in progress,” Florida associate head coach Carlin Hartman told CBS Sports last month. “He’s working his tail off on a daily basis. He’s in there with our strength and conditioning guys, He’s in there with the nutritionist, the sports science guys. He’s doing all of it. Kudos to him. He’s been helping us in practice, and he’s developed a really good attitude and workmanlike mindset.”
Among the players Rioux studies are towering NBA players such as 6-foot-11 Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Bucks, 7-foot-1 Chet Holmgren of the Thunder and 7-foot-4 Zach Edey of the Grizzlies.
Off the court, Rioux likes playing video games and describes what he found at Florida this season as “a brotherhood.” Don’t be intimidated by Rioux’s size. He’s a force of unparalleled stature on the court. But off of it, his teammates describe him as a “goofball.”
“You wouldn’t really expect it, because he’s so big,” Handlogten said. “But he’s a gentle giant. He goes and hangs out with anyone that wants to hang out. He’s the friendliest guy you’ll ever meet.”
Read the full article here
