Social media went into a frenzy as a 7-foot-9 redshirt freshman from Florida became the tallest player to ever score in a college basketball game when he scored the first points of his career on Wednesday, Dec. 17, in a 102-61 victory over Saint Francis.
The crowd went wild when Rioux, 19, with 42 seconds left, threw down a dunk.
Florida’s bench erupted after the score, with one player on the court even flexing, and the home fans roared with a standing ovation, some jumping up and down.
Florida has two more non-conference matchups against Colgate on Sunday, Dec. 21, and Dartmouth on Dec. 29, before beginning SEC play, likely representing Rioux’s final chances to take the floor this year.
The 19-year-old Canadian became the tallest player to play on a college field when he made his debut last month.
Rioux previously held the record as the world’s tallest teenager according to Guinness World Records in 2021, when he measured 7 ft 5 in (2.26 m).
Could Rioux succeed in the NBA?
Well, there’s a long way to go for Rioux to make a successful NBA debut.
If he truly aims to break through at the highest level of the game, Rioux will need to stand out from his competition on more than just his height.
The greatest player in the NBA: Victor Wembanyama
The buzz in France is Victor Wembanyama, 21, who is the tallest player in the NBA at 2.24m (7ft 4in) for the San Antonio Spurs.
Zach Edey of the Memphis Grizzlies is next, the 23-year-old standing at 7’3″ (2.21m).
The NBA website lists three other players as 7 ft 2 in (2.18 m).
They are Donovan Clingan, 23, of the Portland Trail Blazers, Walker Kessler, 24, of the Utah Jazz, and Kristaps Porzingis of the Atlanta Hawks.
The tallest players in NBA history are Manute Bol and Gheorghe Muresan, who were both 7 feet 7 inches (2.31 m) tall.
Bol’s tenure in the NBA lasted from 1985 to 1997, while Muresan, nicknamed the “Giant”, was active from 1991 to 2001.
