The tallest person ever to play college basketball is making Irvine his new home.
Olivier Rioux, a 7-foot-9 center transferring from the University of Florida, has signed with the UC Irvine men’s basketball program. The 20-year-old Canadian holds a Guinness World Record as the world’s tallest teenager after clearing 7 feet before entering the seventh grade.
Standing a full 3 inches taller than NBA legend Yao Ming, Rioux joins an elite UC Irvine squad coming off its 10th Big West regular season title and a 23-12 overall record. The Anteaters historically have embraced and developed towering front-court players, such as 7-foot-6 center Mamadou N’Diaye.
