Former Florida walk-on Olivier Rioux has officially found his new home in college basketball. The 7-foot-9 big man, who was a fan favorite amongst the Gators, entered the transfer portal back when the window was open, and it wasn't much of a surprise to anyone.
Rioux only appeared in 11 games for the Gators this season, usually when the team was up big, playing for an average of 1.5 minutes. The Florida center only scored a total of seven points throughout the season, but whenever he hit the court, everyone was watching.
The tallest player in college basketball has chosen his next school, though, as Rioux has officially transferred to UC Irvine to play under Tussell Turner. College basketball expert Jon Rothstein posted about the news, stating he loved the move, especially with how well Turner has coached big men in the Big West.
Florida transfer Olivier Rioux has committed to UC Irvine, per his IG page.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) April 30, 2026
7-9 big man should flourish under Russell Turner, who has done a tremendous job with big men in the Big West.
Florida fans will miss Olivier Rioux but his leaving came as no surprise
While the hype around Rioux was there the day he became a walk-on at Florida, ultimately, he rarely got into the game for the Gators. Even at 7-foot-9, head coach Todd Golden couldn't justify putting him in the game over other players with better skills on the court.
Fans won't forget, though, when Rioux entered the game against Prairie View A&M, and he completely towered over their big man before slamming a dunk down in the 59-point win over the Panthers. Rioux certainly brought some electric moments to the court when he found playing time, and his teammates loved every minute of it.
While things didn't really work out for Rioux at Florida, fans will absolutely wish him the best at UC Irvine and hope that he finds time on the court.
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