At age eight, he was 6’1″. By sixth grade, he was nearly 7’4″. And now, as a college freshman, he’s listed at 7’1″ – and could become the tallest college basketball player of all time.

Olivier Rioux, once the record holder for being the tallest teenager in the world, is now on the University of Florida basketball roster after joining the Gators last fall. The Montreal native and three-star recruit was only 7 feet 7 inches tall at the time, according to recruiting site 247sports.

At 18, he’s probably still growing. Rioux’s height surpasses previous record-holder Paul Sturgess, who stood 7’10” and played for both Florida Tech and Mountain State from 2007 to 2011. And if Rioux makes it to the NBA, he’ll also become the tallest NBA player of all time.

Rioux has not commented publicly on the record, but in the past he has spoken openly about enjoying his tall stature. In an interview with Guinness as a 16-year-old, the Canadian said he likes being noticed and interacting with people because of his height. He sees everything from a higher angle, he said, which “gives me an advantage during a game.”

“I was always taller than my school friends or my teammates,” he said. “That’s what nature intended for me. I’ve learned to be peaceful and happy with that.”

Rioux comes from a large family, which makes his height not that unusual. According to Guinness, his father is 2.03 m tall and his mother is 1.88 m tall.

“We’re still not 100 percent sure why I’m so tall… the doctors can only explain it with genetics in my family,” he said.

Still, his superiority over the rest of society has its downsides. He said he has trouble finding clothes and has hit his head on door frames a few times. Ouch.

Rioux started playing basketball at age 5, and even then his size caused opposing teams to question his age. In high school, his opponents didn’t hold back during games, he said — sometimes challenging Rioux more because of his size.

But despite his impressive height, Rioux is not the tallest man in the world. That honor goes to Sultan Kösen, a Turkish farmer. He measures almost 2.60 meters.

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