


It’s unusual for anyone to make an NBA star look small — especially if you’re 12 years old.
Olivier Rioux, the 7-foot-6 17-year-old who was recognized as the world’s tallest teen by Guinness in 2021, makes everyone around him look tiny, even NBA champions like Jamal Murray.
In a photo posted to Rioux’s Instagram in June, the high schooler congratulated Murray on his recent championship with the Denver Nuggets and cracked a joke.
“Congrats to Jamal Murray for winning the Nba Championship with Denver !” Rioux wrote. “Do you remember 5 years ago you were the one asking for the picture?”
He added a laughing emoji for good measure.
In the original photo, a younger Rioux stands a full head taller than Murray, who captioned the picture, “This the 6’10 12 year old.”
“I have a feeling this will be one of those pics that you’ll look back on when you’re playing with or against these dudes in the league,” one fan commented.
Rioux, a native of Montreal, is a rising prospect playing at IMG Academy in Florida, as well as for the Canadian national U17 team.
The Canadian center has his sights set on the NBA and is already receiving traction from Division I coaches, his former coach Joey McKitterick told The Sun.
“The schools that are really focusing in on him are ones that value the size and want to use it,” McKitterick said.

“Because basketball has kind of gone in the direction of smaller [multi-position players], but there’s still a lot of programs that still value that size.”
In viral videos shared of dominant gameplay against overmatched high school opponents, Rioux looks like a bruising center who can’t be contained.

“Reminds us of a young Zach Edey that plays for Purdue,” HoopStarsMedia wrote on Twitter. “Rioux length provides him an advantage in the shot blocking category. For his size he moves well, sprints the floor hard. He will continue to develop”