As time ticked down Monday, the Gators were on their way to an 86-62 win over Grambling State, and Todd Golden looked to the bench and inserted a handful of players, including Bennett Andersen, Cooper Josefsburg, and forward Viktor Mikic. , to close the game.
There was one player, though, that the Florida fan group wanted to see make his UF debut, a player who would set a record for the tallest player to enter a game in college basketball history: the 7-foot-9, 305 center Olivier lbs. Rio.
However, Ryu remained on the bench, and Todd Golden went to have a brief chat with the towering first-year player before returning to the front of the bench.
The date will have to wait, perhaps for the rest of the 2024-25 season, as Golden revealed Thursday that the intention is for Ryu to redshirt his freshman season with the UF program.
Golden expressed that he should have made the plan regarding Rioux more clear before the start of the season, considering Rioux’s excitement about making his UF debut, though Golden did not rule out the possibility of Rioux appearing this season; Injuries to Florida’s front court, or a change of heart for Ryu, could ease the signee’s role out of the IMG Academy before the season is over.
“We’re talking about him redshirting this year, yeah,” Golden said. “And I had to make that clear, because, frankly, it put him in a tough spot. He’s sitting there at the end of games, and everyone’s yelling at him. We tried to get him out of there, and it just wouldn’t help.” “They understand that this was our potential plan for him, so that’s where we are at the moment. “I’m not saying that would be the plan 100%. “We’ll continue to talk to him and see if, you know, he changes what he wants to do, but as of right now, that’s the plan we’re making. We’ll be with him as we move forward.”
The decision was not easy, but came after conversations with all parties involved, from Ryo himself to his parents and former coaches. The belief is that Rioux has great potential as he continues to develop, yet Florida is taking a patient approach with the freshman rather than rushing him onto the field and negating his chance at a redshirt while he develops behind the scenes.
“I was just explaining to him, ‘Hey, you know, the reason I’m not hiring you now is what we talked about a little bit,’ you know, and this isn’t like, this was ‘this is the choice I made for him, this is something we talked about’ – I should say That people outside of our program have talked to him – him, his family, his parents, his AAU coach, and kind of trying. “To figure out the best path for him,” Golden said. His last conversation with Rioux. “I just went up to him and said, ‘Hey, I’m not trying to be disrespectful to you. I’m just not trying to ruin your year by putting you on for 30 seconds.”
While many freshmen may feel frustrated by having to spend their first year at the varsity level sitting idle and watching, Golden insisted that is not the case when it comes to Rio.
“He’s been great. He’s been great. I think he’s a great kid, and he’s fun and, you know, wants to do what other people think is best for him,” Golden continued. “And he’s coachable, and so, again, if that’s what our staff and his parents, you know, and the people around him that care about him think, then he’s the best. I think he’ll be comfortable. Ultimately, that’s his team’s decision, but I think that’s the The place where he will land.”
That may not stop Rioux being asked to see the floor for the Gators, though Golden is hopeful that clarity regarding the preferred freshman status and timeline for the role will curb the chants of UF students wanting to see Rioux take the floor this season and make history.
“Now that has to be it,” Golden said. “I think by next week people will know.”
