In a sport filled with tall athletes, Rieu was an anomaly. At 7-foot-9, the 20-year-old is the tallest college basketball player ever recorded. As the Florida Gators battled their way into the NCAA tournament, Rieu’s performance on the national stage also attracted attention.
Here’s everything you need to know about the redshirt freshman:
From World’s Tallest Teen to NCAA’s Tallest Basketball Player
Growing up in Terrebonne, Que., a suburb of Montreal, Rioux was always very, very tall. According to his bio on Florida State’s website, Rioux was 6-foot-1 when he was 8 years old and broke the 7-foot mark before entering seventh grade.
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At 16, Rieu was listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the world’s tallest teenager at just over 7 feet 5 inches tall. He grew another 4 inches over the next two years and is listed at his current height of 7-foot-9 before the 2024-25 season.
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Other members of the Rioux family are also tall. His father is 6 feet 8 inches tall, his mother (a former volleyball player) is 6 feet 1 inches tall, and his brother (who also plays basketball) is 6 feet 9 inches tall. Rieu told Yahoo Sports last year at the Final Four that his family often attracts attention when they hang out together.
“Everyone would come up to my dad and say, ‘Oh my gosh, how tall are you? Oh, even your kids are tall?'” Rieu said his father was always “very respectful.”
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After graduating from high school in 2024, Rioux decided to head to Florida State.
Redshirt freshman, limited playing time
According to the Gators’ website, Rieu had a “developmental redshirt season” last year. As a result, he was part of Florida’s national championship season as a member of the scout team but did not play in any games.
As a redshirt freshman, Rieu saw limited playing time this season, playing 13 minutes in 10 games in 2025-26. He scored five points in that span — including his first dunk against St. Francis in December.
During the playoffs, Rieu played two minutes in the Gators’ first-round victory over 16th-seeded Prairie View A&M and added another dunk in the final seconds of the 59-point victory.
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It’s unclear whether Riou will get more playing time next season. Florida State’s starting center Rueben Chinyelu is a junior this year. The second center on the depth chart is Micah Handlogten, a senior this year.
Rioux has always attracted attention
Even in the basketball world, it’s no surprise that someone of Rieu’s height would draw attention. Over the past year, Riou has been hounded for photos and autographs, becoming one of Florida State’s most recognizable players despite playing little time.
“It’s a lot sometimes,” Rieu said of the attention in an interview with Yahoo Sports last year. “Sometimes you have to learn to say no.”
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Still, Rieu couldn’t help but attract attention. During Florida State’s win over Prairie View, an interaction between the redshirt freshman and 6-foot-8 Panthers forward Hassane Diallo, who was surprised by Rieu’s height, went viral.
During the break between the first and second rounds of the 2026 NCAA Tournament, Rieu continued his trend of becoming the Gators’ most visible players, joining the ranks of a Florida fan who went viral for his unusually enthusiastic photo.
As the 2026 NCAA Tournament continues, Rieu is unlikely to play more than a few minutes per game, but he will certainly continue to draw a lot of attention.
