- Olivier Rieu, standing at an impressive 7-foot-9, is set to transfer to the University of California, Irvine.
- He will join coach Russell Turner, who has a reputation for effectively mentoring towering players.
- The 20-year-old, recognized as a Guinness World Record holder, saw limited action during his two years in Florida.
The tallest athlete in basketball is moving west to further his journey.
Olivier Rieu, who is the tallest player in both college and professional basketball, shared on Instagram his decision to transfer from Florida State to the University of California, Irvine.
He’ll be trained by coach Russell Turner, who has been leading the team since 2010 and has successfully guided other exceptionally tall players.
Turner’s success includes coaching Mamadou Ndiaye, a 7-foot-6 center who holds the school record for blocked shots and earned multiple honors as the Big West Defensive Player of the Year from 2013 to 2016.
Rieu, hailing from Quebec, previously held the Guinness World Record as the tallest teenager at 7 feet 5 inches by age 15, and has just finished his redshirt freshman season.
He is recorded as the tallest player in college basketball history.
While at Florida, Rieu didn’t see much playing time during his two years. The Gators were among the top teams nationally, having won a national title in 2025 and securing the No. 1 seed last season, although they faced an early exit after a loss to Iowa in the second round of March Madness.
During the 2025-26 season, he participated in just 11 games, averaging only 1.5 minutes per outing and notching a total of seven points.
Per his profile, Rieu tips the scales at 305 pounds, similar to Ndiaye’s weight when he thrived under Turner’s coaching.
Last season, UC Irvine concluded with a 23-12 record, capturing the Big West regular season title but falling to UNLV in the first round of the NIT Tournament.
