How Tall Is Florida's 7'9'' Olivier Rioux's Parents? Meet Tallest College Basketball Player's Family

Olivier Rioux is currently the focus of significant attention as the tallest player in college basketball history, standing at 7-foot-9. A freshman for the Florida Gators, the 20-year-old Canadian centre has become a viral sensation due to his unprecedented height and 10-foot standing reach, which allows him to dunk with almost no effort. As of March 2026, Rioux is in his second year with the Florida Gators Men's Basketball team. Oliver had redshirted during Florida's 2024–25 national championship run to develop his skills.

Although Oliver has had limited opportunities to showcase his skills this season, he has established himself as a known name in the college basketball sphere. He has appeared in 10 games as of the 2026 NCAA Tournament, playing a total of 14 minutes. Besides the audience anticipation to see the Florida rookie play more games, his height is somthing that has brought him global attention. Interestingly, being tall is in his genes as his parents and brother also have impressive heights.

Meet Olivier Rioux's parents, Jean-Francois Rioux and Anne Gariépy

Olivier Rioux's parents, Jean-François Rioux and Anne Gariépy, are both former volleyball players who reside in the Montreal area. His father, Jean-Francois reportedly currently works at the packaging company, SupremeX Inc. in Quebec. He also has a professional background in photography, which he considers a personal passion. His mother, Anne Gariépy is reportedly an employee at the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC). Together, they have fostered a supportive environment for Olivier to focus on his goal, i.e., basketball. According to the Florida Gators website, Olivier's family members have "played a variety of sports, including volleyball and swimming."

Olivier Rioux's parents passed down their height to him

Olivier Rioux's height is attributed to his family's genetics, with both parents and his older brother being exceptionally tall. His dad, Jean-Francois, stands 6 feet 8 inches tall, while his mother, Anne, is 6 feet 2 inches tall. Oliver's older brother is even taller than their parents; however, not as tall as him. His height is 6 feet 9 inches, which makes the 7'9" Oliver the tallest in his family. Doctors have investigated his growth and concluded that it is a natural result of familial stature rather than any medical condition, as shared by the NBA prospect himself during an interview with the Olympics. He stated:

"We're still not 100 per cent sure why I'm so tall," he told Guinness in 2022. "After investigation, doctors could only explain it with the genetics that my family has."

Born on 2 February 2006 in Quebec, Canada, Oliver's body showed signs of tall stature from birth. Weighing 7.5 pounds (3.4 kg) at birth, according to Guinness World Records, the college basketball player grew to 16 pounds (7.3 kg) in his first month alone. Being exceptionally tall and playing for a prominent team like Florida Gators brings a lot of attention to  Oliver Rioux, which might get overwhelming at times. The youngster shared with AP that his parents and brother guide him on how to handle public attention. According to him, having "a pretty tall family" was nice, as when he went out with them, he wasn't the only tall person around. Regarding the same, Oliver told AP:

"You don't have a single three seconds to yourself when you're outside, which I was fine with because my brother and my dad are tall. And, as a family, we used to go out. That's just how it was, and you can't change that because people are curious."

Oliver Rioux's height compared with tallest NBA players

At 236 cm height, Olivier Rioux is significantly taller than every active NBA player for the 2025–26 season. The Canadian freshman at the University of Florida, currently the tallest college basketball player in history, holds a height advantage of 4 to 5 inches over league'sleague giants like Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs, who is officially listed at 7 feet 5 inches. Oliver is also five inches taller than Zach Edey of the Memphis Grizzlies, who stands at 7 feet 4 inches. If Rioux eventually reaches the NBA, he would surpass Gheorghe Muresan and Manute Bol (both 7 feet 7 inches) to become the tallest player in the league's history. 

What are your thoughts on Oliver Rioux and his family members' impressive heights? Let us know.

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