After going viral during the first round of March Madness, 6’9 Canadian center Olivier Rioux has announced that he will be entering the transfer portal. He is seen as a player with a lot of potential given how massive he is, but his skills are still raw and need a lot of work, getting redshirted in his first season at Florida before getting more minutes this season. One team that could land him is Michigan State, but what are his chances of going there?
How Could Olivier Rioux Fit at Michigan State?
Currently, Michigan State only has one true center in 6’11 senior Carson Cooper, who could be leaving after this season. This means that there is plenty of room for Rioux, who could be developed into a monster center by Tom Izzo. However, he might have some competition coming into the new season should he come here, as 6’10 four-star high school star Ethan Taylor has now signed with the Spartans.
Still, Olivier Rioux needs to get developed further, and Izzo might be the man for the job. While there is a chance that he could come off the bench, him developing his basketball skills further could be better for him in the long run.
There is also a chance he could start as center for Izzo, but given how raw he still is, that might not happen at all.
Olivier Rioux’s Possible Role at Michigan State
With the Spartans, he is more likely to become a backup center, with the coaches there working behind the scenes to develop him to be a monster center. They could see his progress during games as they work on his shooting, rebounding and most importantly, defensive capabilities. They could work on him to become a Wembanyama-like shot blocker who would barely need the jump to swat shots away.
Olivier Rioux Expectations at Michigan State
While the idea of Olivier Rioux playing under Tom Izzo is intriguing, right now everything is still just speculations. He could become a dominant center when developed correctly, but right now, he still has a lot of work to be done.
Right now, no school seems to be the favorite, but one might emerge once the transfer portal opens on April 7. Any school getting him should focus on developing him more, especially on defense.
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