Rioux, college hoops' tallest player, to UC Irvine...
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- Olivier Rioux commits to UC Irvine, becoming the tallest player in college basketball history at 7‑foot‑9 and the tallest to score in a Division I game.
- Florida Gators lose a frontcourt prospect as Rioux entered the transfer portal after redshirting the 2025 national title season and appearing in 11 games.
- UC Irvine Anteaters add a 7‑foot‑9 center to a roster that won the Big West regular season title but fell to Hawai'i in the league tournament, aiming for a first NCAA tournament appearance since 2019.
- Mamadou Ndiaye was a 7‑foot‑6 UC Irvine center named Big West Defensive Player of the Year in 2014 and 2016, showing the program’s history with towering players.
- Peter Yannopoulos told ESPN Rioux is “excited and ready for the next steps,” confirming the player’s enthusiasm for the move.
Why it matters: UC Irvine basketball program gains a 7‑foot‑9 center — one of only three players taller than Mamadou Ndiaye — adding size as it pursues its first NCAA tournament appearance since 2019.
