The world’s tallest teenager, Olivier Rioux, has made history in college basketball after becoming the tallest player ever to score in an NCAA game.
Standing at an extraordinary 7 feet 9 inches (2.36 metres), the 19-year-old Canadian centre recorded his first college basket with a dunk late in Florida Gators’ emphatic 102–61 victory over Saint Francis on Wednesday.
Rioux, who made his collegiate debut last month, had already set a record as the tallest player ever to appear on a college basketball court. Wednesday’s dunk further cemented his place in the record books.
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In 2021, Guinness World Records officially recognised Rioux as the world’s tallest teenager when he measured 7 feet 5 inches (2.26 metres). He has since grown an additional four inches.
Although the dunk marked his first field goal in college basketball, Rioux had earlier opened his scoring account with a free throw in a game against Merrimack on November 21.
For comparison, the NBA’s tallest active player is 21-year-old French star Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs, who stands at 7 feet 4 inches (2.24 metres). He is followed by Memphis Grizzlies centre Zach Edey, 23, who measures 7 feet 3 inches (2.21 metres).
According to the NBA’s official website, three other players, Donovan Clingan of the Portland Trail Blazers, Walker Kessler of the Utah Jazz, and Kristaps Porzingis of the Atlanta Hawks, each stand at 7 feet 2 inches (2.18 metres).
The tallest players in NBA history remain Manute Bol and Gheorghe Mureșan, both listed at 7 feet 7 inches (2.31 metres). Bol played in the league from 1985 to 1997, while Mureșan, popularly known as “The Giant,” featured between 1991 and 2001.
