Florida basketball coach Todd Golden is in favor of his 7-foot-9 center, Olivier Rioux, exploring other sports within the university's athletic program. Rioux briefly joined the Gators' football team for training to utilize his towering frame and extraordinary reach.
Rioux, who joined Florida ahead of last season, is the tallest college basketball player in the country and the tallest living teenager on Earth, according to Guinness World Records.
During a tryout with the football team, Rioux was unable to impress Billy Napier and his staff, so he will be returning to the hardwood for the Gators this upcoming season.
Todd Golden was aware of the brief stint and gave his thoughts on the situation to his supporters at a booster event on Thursday.
"I like the idea. I give them credit for trying it," Golden said, via AP News. "They were a little disappointed."Rioux redshirted his freshman year, giving him extra time to focus on conditioning and overall development. He played for Team Canada at the FIBA U19 World Cup earlier this month, playing over nine minutes per game. Golden expects him to compete for playing time this upcoming season.
Todd Golden excited about Olivier Rioux's progress and future on the court
When Todd Golden recruited Olivier Rioux, he understood that it would be a long-term project and that he wouldn't get the immediate return he may have wanted. Golden was ready to invest in the three-star center and knew he would need to be patient with his development.
After redshirting his first year, Golden has been happy with the progress that Rioux has shown.
"I think his body has transformed just the way he moves, he’s way more athletic now than when he got here," Golden said in February, via The Gainesville Sun. "Not taking anything away from him just his natural trajectory and kind of his path but I’m very pleased with him, to be honest. "He’s been incredibly coachable. He’s done everything we’ve asked him to do from a practice standpoint and I still feel good about his opportunity and his potential to become a good player."Todd Golden led the Gators to their third national championship last season and is looking to build on it for next season. After losing most of his starters this offseason, Golden added Xaivian Lee from Princeton and Boogie Fland from Arkansas through the transfer portal.
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Edited by Dipayan Moitra