NCAA basketballer goes viral over astonishing height difference to 6ft 8in opponent

Olivier Rioux, who stands at 7ft 9in tall, is the tallest NCAA basketball player on record - and one clip of him standing next to a smaller opponent has gone viral on social media.

Rioux, 20, held a Guinness World Record as the tallest living male teenager, having stood at 7ft 5in which he was just 15 back in 2021.

He is at the University of Florida in his freshman year, and is a part of the Florida Gators college basketball team, having been playing basketball since the age of five years old.

Though Rioux has not seen much of the basketball court as what is known as a redshirt freshman - a developmental player - he was brought off the substitutes' bench for a brief two-minute appearance against Prairie View on Saturday.

He made one field goal out of three attempts and also registered two rebounds as the table-topping Gators secured a comfortable 114-55 over their opponents.

At one stage during his cameo, Prairie View's Hassam Diallo walked towards Rioux and exchanged words with him as the pair waited for the next play.

That created an incredible visual, with Rioux simply towering over him.

Sizing up the tallest player in college basketball history pic.twitter.com/dvzaFaBqiZ

— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) March 21, 2026

Diallo appeared to look slightly confused at how much smaller he was compared to Rioux - especially given that, being 6ft 8in tall himself, it won't be often that he has to look directly up at opponents.

Rioux is not only the tallest player in NCAA history, but would also be the tallest recorded player in the NBA if he is ever able to make the step up.

San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama currently holds that particular accolade, standing at 7ft 4in tall.

Why is Olivier Rioux so tall?

While even the man himself doesn't have the exact answer as to why he stands at 7ft 9in tall, he does have a good idea.

Both his father and mother are former volleyball players, standing at 6ft 8in and 6ft 2in respectively, while his older brother stands at 6ft 9in.

Rioux, though, is comfortably the tallest member of his family.

He told Guinness World Records in 2022 that 'after investigation, doctors could only explain it with the genetics that my family has'.

"I learned to be peaceful and happy about it," he added.

"I have to duck under door frames. Since all the doors are at different heights, it is not always easy to avoid them. Sometimes I hit my head!"