Canadian giant Olivier Rioux, dubbed the World’s Tallest Teen by Guinness World Records, must wait until 2025 to make his college basketball debut, University of Florida coach Todd Golden said on Thursday.
Golden revealed plans to “redshirt” the 7-foot-9 (2.36m) 18-year-old from Terrebonne, Quebec — keeping him out this season to maintain four full seasons of eligibility starting next year.
“This wasn’t a choice I made for him. This is something people have talked to with him, his family, his parents and just try to figure out what the best route for him is,” Golden said.
“He has been great. He’s a great kid. He’s a pleaser. He wants to do what others think is best for him and he’s coachable.
“If this is what parents and staff and people around him think is best I think he’s going to be comfortable.”
Riouz was declared the world’s tallest teen by Guinness in 2021 at age 15 and 7-foot-5 (2.26m).
It has been awkward for Rioux on the end of the Gators bench with home fans cheering for him to be inserted into games when they, and Rioux, were not certain of the redshirt plan.
“I should have made that clear,” Golden said. “It has put him in a tough situation.
“He’s sitting over there at the end of games and everybody is yelling at him and trying to get him out there. They just hadn’t understood that that was our potential plan for him.
“So that’s where we’re at at this moment. We’ll continue to talk to him and see if he changes what he wants to do. But as of right now, that’s the plan.”
Golden blamed himself for having to explain to Rioux why he was keeping him on the bench in the dying seconds of a game.
“It was a quick conversation I probably should have had with him long before 30 seconds to go in the game,” Golden said.
“I just went up to him and said I’m not trying to be disrespectful, I’m trying not to burn your year putting you in for 30 seconds.”
Golden hoped making his situation public would keep Florida fans from pushing for him to play instead of waiting while he trains and improves so he can be better when he does debut in 2025.
– Global Gators –
Golden also announced Thursday that US college sports officials have approved Slovenian 20-year-old sophomore guard Urban Klavzar to play for the Gators starting Friday at arch-rival Florida State.
In August’s under-20 EuroBasket tournament, Klavzar averaged team highs of 16.1 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.3 assists for runner-up Slovenia.
“I’m incredibly happy for him. It has been a really trying time for him,” Golden said. “It’ll take some time for him to get acclimated but he’s a high-level guy.”
Florida has a global roster that also includes Nigerian starting sophomore center Rueben Chinyelu, Serbian freshman center Viktor Mikic, Australian sophomore forward Alex Condon and Lithuanian sophomore guard Kajus Kublickas.
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