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7-Foot-9 Olivier Rioux Commits to UC Irvine

The tallest player in college basketball seeks a bigger role under UC Irvine coach Russell Turner.

Overview

  • Rioux, who announced Thursday on Instagram, committed to UC Irvine after two seasons at Florida.
  • UC Irvine confirmed the addition and coach Russell Turner praised Rioux’s character and fit in a school statement.
  • At Florida, the 20-year-old redshirted in 2024–25 and logged about 16 minutes across 11 games this season with seven points and six rebounds.
  • Florida’s frontcourt remains crowded with returning starters Alex Condon and Thomas Haugh, while Rueben Chinyelu is testing the NBA draft process, which limited Rioux’s path to minutes.
  • UC Irvine went 23-12 and won the Big West regular-season title last season, and Turner has a track record with towering centers, offering Rioux a clearer path to development.