Rioux, a graduate of Florida’s IMG Academy, made more headlines than a typical college basketball commitment when he announced his plans to play college basketball at UF on Nov. 8, 2023. He is recognized by Guinness World Records as the tallest living male teenager.

Despite his size, Rioux was not a particularly sought-after candidate. At the time of his commitment announcement, he received a 3-star rating and chose UF over offers from Stetson and Florida Atlantic.

While fans have long been intrigued by the idea of ​​the 7-9 center playing for the Gators, they still have to be patient. Rioux is scheduled to redshirt the 2024-25 season, according to head coach Todd Golden. The Gators are doing well without Rioux so far, having started the season 15-1, including back-to-back SEC wins over No. 1 Tennessee and John Calipari’s Arkansas squad.

As for Shaq, he may see Rioux again soon. Me’Arah O’Neal, Shaq’s daughter, plays for the Florida women’s basketball team. So you can expect the LSU legend to be spotted in Gainesville from time to time.

Andrew writes about sports to support his love of live music and collection of concert posters. He strongly supports the Hall of Fame campaigns of Fred Taylor and Andruw Jones.