Teaser: Walk-on Rioux grew a half-inch …

Wow, I guess the body can only take so much growth.

 

Nope. YouTube.

 

Robert Wadlow had an abnormally large and active pituitary gland—he could have been treated (ie, would not have been so tall) today. He also died of an infection at a time when there was no widespread availability of antibiotics.

Olivier apparently does not have a hyperactive pituitary gland, but is just tall. (This makes sense because, again, if his growth was due to a pathology, it would have been treated and he would not be so tall.). What is interesting about that is how rare his height would be. If he is really at or close to 7’9”, then he almost certainly would be among the tallest humans alive who do NOT have so-called pathological gigantism. He would be pushing up against the records for tallest non-pathological giant in history.

 

He’s a walk-on. I don’t know what kinda of offers he got out of HS, but we all know he’s going to need some work. I’d take a chance on a 7’9” guy any day.

 

CNN has gotten the news:

https://www.cnn.com/2024/06/21/sport/olivier-rioux-tallest-college-basketball-player-cec/index.html

 

What level IMG squad was he on?

 

Very interesting, thanks for sharing

 

They were ranked #11 in the country

 

Regarding tall guys. Wasn't the wrestler Andre the Giant about 7-4 and near 400lb? He died young. I watched a documentary on him years ago and people who knew him said he knew he was going to die young due to his height. Dont recall if he kept growing. I did get to see him wrestle back in the day.

I sat on a plane last week in the door exit seat. Guy next to me was 7 feet and "over 300 lbs" as he put it. Massive body.

 

Thanks. Wasn't sure if it was like football with multiple teams.

 

he was on an elite HS team, also playing U18 for Canada. He's no slouch, just not ready for D1 - at least not for another 1-2 years

 

He is also a teenager that has experienced unprecedented growth. His strength, coordination and stamina may (absolutely will) take a little longer to catch up than the 16-18 year old who is 5’11”-6’3”.

 

The high-end team.

 

But didn't start. Look forward to seeing him in two more years.

 

Again, in addition to being a profound alcoholic, and dramatically overweight, Andre the Giant had a pathology that caused his excessive growth. The wrestler called ‘The Big Show’ is an example of a pathological giant who had surgery on his pituitary gland to cease the continued production of growth hormone—Andre did not do this.

 

Rioux appears to be normally proportioned. That suggests he is just a big guy and not someone with a pituitary or other disorder. Marfans syndrome, for instance, is a connective tissue disorder which results in people being unusually tall with disproportionately long limbs. Like Manute Bol.

Rioux May become really good.

 

Blocking shots with your elbows, lol.

 

yes not without quick reaction time, lateral foot movement etc. He is the definition of a LT project, but with tremendous upside if he works out. Definitely worth it and he's not even using up a scholarship

 

yes his ability to consume unprecedented amounts of beer was otherworldly