Becoming the greatest in their sport: that is the goal of all athletes. The only way to achieve this is usually to multiply their exploits. But in the case of Olivier Rioux, stepping on a court of the NBA would be enough.
Published at 1:57 a.m. Updated at 6:09 a.m.
The Quebecer is listed at 7’9″ by his team, the University of Florida Gators. Two inches taller than Manute Bol and Gheorghe Mureșan, the tallest players in league history.
When both players were active, measurements were taken with or without shoes, at the team’s discretion. The rules have been tightened since 2019: measurements must now be taken barefoot. Using this system, Rioux would be 7’7 1/2″, which would still allow him to get the record by a whisker.
In short, enough of the technical details. A record seems within Rioux’s reach, a possibility which, against all expectations, makes him… indifferent. Before a discussion with The Pressthe native of Terrebonne was not even aware of the potential feat of arms.
“I don’t care,” he says in a telephone interview, in a baritone voice that betrays his imposing frame.
PHOTO COURTESY OF IMG ACADEMY
Olivier Rioux
You have to understand that the young adult has always been known for his height. Wherever he goes, he is always the tallest. Breaking another record based on his physique therefore seems much less appealing to him. Certainly less appealing than reaching the NBA.
And Rioux is under no illusions: even by giant steps, his road to get there will be long.
Adaptation continue
The 18-year-old will play his first season in the NCAA next year, after three years spent at the IMG Academy in Florida. There, Rioux had to work extra hard to get playing minutes.
“His work habits weren’t good enough when he came to the academy,” admits his former coach and former NBA player Daniel Santiago.
When he was younger, he had it much easier than others because of his height. He just had to show up to get minutes. But when you get to the higher levels, more is expected of you. Players are faster, stronger, bigger.
Daniel Santiago, former coach of Olivier Rioux
Over the weeks, Rioux has stood out for his defensive brilliance. His presence in the bottle completely disrupts the opposing defensive schemes. When he raises his arms, Rioux takes up a lot of space, becomes difficult to get around, pushes opponents to the periphery.
After two seasons, the Quebecer was promoted from the regional team to the national academy team. At the end of his stint, he was among the two or three best players on the team, according to his coach.
His progress is explained by an improvement in his skills, his physical condition, but also by his adaptation outside the field. When he arrived in Florida, Rioux was “embarrassed, struggling to find his place,” according to Santiago. Then, he came out of his shell.
A saving grace, because as an imposing player, Rioux is a prime target for his opponents. “Other teams want to push you around, test you when you’re that big. You’re going to get hit a lot more, be the victim of a lot more foul language than any other player,” Santiago adds.
The hostility extends off the field. When you’re 7’9″, you quickly become the center of attention in public places.
“People are curious, they don’t want to be mean,” says Rioux. “But you have to make them understand that you can’t always stop to chat. It’s something I’m still learning to do, I’m finding ways to respond politely, but without ambiguity.”
PHOTO COURTESY OF IMG ACADEMY
Olivier Rioux
Negotiating with this attention requires a lot of patience. Daniel Santiago knows something about it, from his height of 7 feet 1 inches. In this regard, he has established himself as a natural mentor for Olivier Rioux.
“His level of exposure is higher than what I’ve had to deal with. I admire his level of patience and forbearance with people.”
Banking on your notoriety
Rather than wallow in self-pity, Rioux is looking to capitalize on the attention. His growth has been widely documented on Instagram, attracting 112,000 followers. His posts have even been commented on by NBA stars like Joel Embiid and Stephen Curry.
Rioux would like to push the envelope by launching a YouTube channel. The idea remains embryonic: he still doesn’t know what topics he would cover in his vlogs. That’s because, outside of basketball, he has multiple interests, such as biology and the arts. In his free time, Rioux sometimes devotes himself to drawing and painting, disciplines in which he admits he is “not very good.”
When you play several games in several days, it’s important for me to recharge my batteries elsewhere, to divert my attention from basketball.
Olivier Rioux
His many interests also complicate his choice of study program at university. He logically hesitates… between biology and art. Rioux is also fascinated by all questions relating to space.
“We know nothing about what surrounds us. We know very little about our roots, where we come from. There are so many things we don’t understand in the universe,” he explains.
If his sporting career hits a dead end, Rioux would like to do research in the space field, to make great discoveries.
“If I don’t play basketball, I want to be recognized in another way,” he insists.
So that when Olivier Rioux is remembered, his height will not have overshadowed the other facets of his personality.
Already a record holder
Olivier Rioux’s name is already in the Guinness Book of Records. At the age of 15, when he was 7’4″, he was recognized as the tallest teenager in the world. His height remains a mystery, although his mother is 6’1″, while his father, a former volleyball player, is 6’8″.
2024-07-05 10:10:44
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