History sometimes arrives quietly, then echoes far beyond. On Wednesday night in Gainesville, a brief sequence during Florida’s blowout win over Saint Francis took things from the court to the political stage. What unfolded was not just another highlight but a landmark moment involving one of the unique figures college basketball has seen. That moment belonged to Olivier Rioux.

With 43 seconds remaining, the 7-foot-9 freshman scored his first college field goal, becoming the tallest player in NCAA history to do so. Florida Senator Ashley Moody quickly marked the occasion, celebrating a milestone that blended state pride with sporting history during the Gators’ 102-61 victory.

Senator Moody’s reaction reflected the wider buzz around the program. “GO GATORS! Congratulations to Olivier Rioux and the @GatorsMBK on making history. It’s great to be a Florida Gator!” she wrote. The message underscored how the moment resonated beyond the locker room, reaching fans and officials alike.

Rioux entered the game late, responding to persistent chants of “We want Ollie.” He caught a bounce pass from CJ Ingram and dunked with ease, barely leaving the floor. The basket officially placed him atop the college basketball record books, a simple play that carried outsized significance given his unprecedented physical profile.

Even teammates shared that sense of joy. Guard Xaivian Lee said, “We were just going crazy,” while Alex Condon joked, “Good pass from CJ.” Rioux, who debuted last month and previously scored only from the line, turned a routine dunk into a defining milestone, proving his place at the Division I level.

Todd Golden praises Olivier Rioux after historic Florida debut

Most people thought the Saint Francis game would go a different way. Rioux didn’t just stand there looking tall when he stepped on the court during the Gators’ 102-61 blowout. He caught the bounce pass with soft hands, timed his move perfectly, and finished the play like he had done it a thousand times before.

Coach Todd Golden saw it happen and couldn’t hide how happy he was. The Gators coach said of his tall center, “Pretty special, man. The transition, his vertical. Woo. He was up there, man.”

The moment was crucial to the Canadian freshman. “It felt great. The support from everybody was amazing, even on the bench, and even the fans. I think everybody supported me. I’m very grateful,” he said.

Also, the size made it very clear how big he was. He is over four inches taller than Victor Wembanyama and two inches taller than Manute Bol and Gheorghe Muresan, two NBA legends.

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In 2021, Guinness World Records named him the tallest teenager in the world at 7 feet 5 inches. He has grown four more inches since then. The record itself is very important in the history of basketball. Rioux became the tallest player ever to make a field goal in college basketball when he stood 7 feet 9 inches tall. This broke previous height records.