Former Gator Olivier Rioux announces transfer portal destination
· Yahoo Sports
Florida basketball transfer Olivier Rioux has decided on his landing spot after spending nearly a month in the portal.
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Rioux announced on Instagram that he'll be transferring to UC Irvine on Thursday. The 7-foot-9 big man spent two years in Gainesville, claiming a national championship in 2025 during his redshirt season. Rioux played in 11 games last year, scoring seven total points and six rebounds.
"Next stop: Irvine, California," Rioux wrote.
A three-star prospect out of IMG Academy (Bradenton, Florida) — by way of Quebec, Canada — came to Florida as a developmental project. Height is a coveted gift, especially in the basketball world, but it can take time for players of Rioux's size to build the stamina required to play at the college level. Two years into the project with Florida, it was apparent that Rioux needed more playing time if he was ever going to reach his full potential.
UC Irvine has a history of doing just that. Seven-foot-6 Mamdou Ndiaye spent four years with the Anteaters, eventually turning into a 12.1-point, 7.2-round and 2.4 blocks per game player. He was named the Big West Defensive Player of the Year twice and was all-conference first team in his final season (2016).
Losing Rioux is not devastating for Todd Golden's team. Florida is returning at least two of its three starting frontcourt members, and Rioux was nearly last on the depth chart, often coming in games for the final minute or two with a big lead.
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This article originally appeared on Gators Wire: Florida basketball's Olivier RIoux commits through transfer portal