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Myron Medcalf
Multiple Authors
Florida’s 7-foot-9 center Olivier Rioux, the tallest player to ever score in a college basketball game, has entered the transfer portal, Rioux announced in a social media post Tuesday.
“After taking time to reflect on my journey and what’s best for my future, I’ve decided to enter the transfer portal,” Rioux wrote in the post.
Peter Yannopoulos, Rioux’s agent, confirmed the move to ESPN.
“He is in the portal,” Yannopoulos told ESPN. “Oli is excited and ready for the next steps in his journey.”
Rioux is one of the most popular players in college basketball, and every time he entered a game for Florida this season, the crowd erupted. When he dunked in the first round of the NCAA tournament against Prairie View A&M, the entire Florida bench lost its composure, a familiar sight whenever he scored this season.
Official announcement pic.twitter.com/MW4sz6bUyd
— Rioux Olivier (@Oli_Rioux) March 31, 2026
Those moments, however, were also few and far between as Rioux (seven points combined this season) tried to find a spot on a roster that featured one of the best frontcourts in America.
Earlier this season, Todd Golden told ESPN that he believed Rioux would be a good player, even if that meant he had to play elsewhere.
“I know he’s sitting over there probably like, ‘Damn man, I didn’t know all these guys were coming back,'” Golden told ESPN. “So it’s going to be a tough one this year to play. It really will be. But … I do think he has some really good basketball ahead of him, whether it’s here at Florida or somewhere else.”
Rioux redshirted as a true freshman during Florida’s national championship run in 2025, calling the experience a “dream come true” in his post on X.
Rioux is hounded for pictures wherever he goes on campus, usually on a bike that’s taller than he is when standing upright. He’ll likely have the same viral experience at his next stop, too.
Rioux’s father, Jean-Francois, said his son enjoyed his time with the Gators, and looks forward to his next opportunity.
“We are grateful for the experience at Florida,” he told ESPN.
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