The Florida Gators didn't keep Olivier Rioux around after his second college season.
Despite Rioux being 7-foot-9, he redshirted and didn't play a second for the national champions two seasons ago, then got just garbage time minutes last year. He chose to transfer and seek a better opportunity.
Rioux had to go just a bit down the college basketball ladder, but it looks like he has a chance to make an impact at his new hoops home.
Olivier Rioux is now playing for UC-Irvine, based in Irvine, California.
They're one of the best programs in the Big West Conference. Last season, UC-Irvine went 23-12, including 15-5 in conference play.
The best part of UC-Irvine: They're known as the Anteaters.
UC-Irvine played just one public exhibition game against a United States college in the lead-up to the new season — against Cal State LA earlier this week.
Rioux got the start and did plenty of positive things.
UC-Irvine gave Rioux 14 minutes in the blowout win — they only played two players more than 20 minutes, so the low minute total had more to do with the matchup and plan than anything else.
Rioux made the most of his time. He scored 13 points. That included 5-for-6 shooting from the floor and 3-for-5 from the foul line.
The big fella also grabbed eight rebounds, blocked two shots and dished out an assist. He didn't turn the ball over or commit a foul.
A highlight tape of Rioux's night shows him getting an easy dunk, popping in a couple of hook shots, and even finishing once with his left hand. His free throw stroke doesn't look bad, either:
Rioux finds himself with an interesting opportunity, because in addition to helping the Anteaters compete this season, he can also make the case for himself as a future transfer addition back into a bigger program.
The key for Rioux on that front will be to prove that the concept of himself works. There's never been a 7-foot-9 guy before. It comes with some movement limitations side to side. But it obviously also comes with some traits that no one else has.
If Rioux works at UC-Irvine, it's a huge win for the Anteaters — and it might just expand his basketball future, too.
This article was originally published on HEAVY
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