Royce White

Royce White
Royce Alexander White (born April 10, 1991) is an American political candidate, mixed martial artist, and former collegiate and professional basketball player.
White was the 2009 Minnesota Mr. Basketball and a two-time Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL) championship team member. He was a Class 3A MSHSL champion in 2006 with DeLaSalle High School as a freshman and a Class 4A MSHSL champion in 2009 with Hopkins High School as a senior, leading Hopkins to a perfect (31-0) record. White played college basketball for the Iowa State Cyclones basketball team, leading the 2011–12 Cyclones in every major statistical category.
White was selected by the Houston Rockets in the first round of the 2012 NBA draft. White has a history of Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) that is mainly triggered by a fear of flying. His tenure with the Rockets organization was turbulent because of disagreements over mental health issues and travel. While White did not play for the Rockets, he played in three games for the Sacramento Kings in 2014. He has also played for the Rio Grande Valley Vipers and the Reno Bighorns of the NBA G League. From 2017 to 2019, White played for the London Lightning of the NBL Canada, winning an NBL Canada championship and an MVP award.
In 2022, White announced his candidacy for the U.S. House of Representatives in Minnesota's 5th congressional district. According to the New York Post White is a believer in conspiracy theories surrounding the 2020 presidential election. He was defeated in the 2022 Republican primary. White is a candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2024 in Minnesota.
Early life
White was born in 1991 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the son of Kevin Tucker and Rebecca White. He is of multiracial origin, with Mexican, Norwegian, Welsh, and African-American ancestry.
High school basketball career
White went to DeLaSalle High School for his freshman, sophomore, and junior years. The team won a state championship in 2006. Following his sophomore season, in which he led DeLaSalle to a 19–8 record, White participated in the 2007 LeBron James US Skills Academy in Akron, Ohio and The Nike Global Challenge at the University of Portland.
For his senior year, White attended Hopkins High School. The team won the Class 4A MSHSL Championship in 2009, giving him his second state championship. Hopkins finished 10th in the final USA Today national poll, with a 31–0 record.
He was rated as the 2nd, 8th and 10th best high school power forward in the national class of 2009 by Rivals.com, ESPN.com and Scout.com, respectively. He had dozens of collegiate scholarship offers. White was one of 20 2009 Jordan Brand Classic All-Americans, was recognized by the St. Paul Pioneer Press as a First-Team All-State honoree, and was named the 2009 Minnesota Mr. Basketball.
College career
University of Minnesota
White pleaded guilty to theft and disorderly conduct in connection with an October 13, 2009 incident at the Mall of America; he was accused of taking $100 worth of clothes and of fifth-degree assault, when he allegedly pushed a mall security officer to the ground twice, but he claimed the security officer was charging at him and he was defending himself. He was suspended for the 2009–10 NCAA Division I men's basketball season.
White was a suspect in a November laptop theft from a university dorm, but after three months of investigation, the University of Minnesota police department did not have enough evidence to charge him with theft. He was formally charged with trespassing in January. White left the University of Minnesota in February 2010. Despite his legal difficulties, White achieved better than a 3.0 grade point average in his first semester at Minnesota.
Iowa State University
Because White did not officially depart Minnesota until the middle of his second semester, he was academically ineligible to receive a scholarship from any Division I school in 2010. He transferred to Iowa State prior to using any of his athletic eligibility at Minnesota and applied to the NCAA for a waiver to be eligible to play during the 2010–11 NCAA Division I men's basketball season, but the NCAA denied his waiver.
At Iowa State, White was voted the 2011–12 Big 12 Preseason Newcomer of the Year. During the season, he won the Phillips 66 Big 12 Rookie of the Week award three times.
White had 17 points and 10 rebounds in the 2012 Big 12 men's basketball tournament in Iowa State's loss to Texas. In Iowa State's opening game of the 2012 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament, White posted 15 points and 11 rebounds in a victory over Connecticut. His season concluded with a 23-point, nine-rebound, four-assist, and three-steal performance in a loss to Kentucky. White fouled out for the first time in his career in the game and ended the season with 11 double-doubles. White finished the season as the team leader in points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks, making him the only player in Division I basketball to lead his team in all five categories.
On March 4, 2012, White was named the unanimous Big 12 Newcomer of the Year and was recognized as a first-team All-Big 12 selection and a unanimous Big 12 All-Rookie Team selection by the Big 12 coaches. In addition, he was selected as Big 12 Newcomer of the Year and was recognized as a First team All-Big 12 selection by both the Associated Press and the Kansas City Star. He concluded the regular season second in the Big 12 in rebounding and fifth in assists with averages of 9.2 and 5.2, respectively. On March 1, he was named to the 30-player midseason Naismith College Player of the Year Award watchlist. He was selected by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association to its 10-man 2011–12 Men's All-District VI (IA, MO, KS, OK, NE, ND, SD) Team. White was a first team selection to the National Association of Basketball Coaches Division I All‐District 8 team on March 14. White was named an honorable mention Associated Press All-American.
On March 21, 2012, White chose to forgo his junior and senior years at ISU to enter the 2012 NBA draft.
College basketball statistics
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|2011–12
| style="text-align:left;"|Iowa State
| 34 || 33 || 31.5 || .534 || .333 || .498 || 9.3 || 5.0 || 1.2 || 0.9 || 13.4
|}
Professional basketball career
2012–2013
White was called the "mystery pick" of the 2012 NBA draft due to his NBA ready body, legal issues, point-forward skill set, and public disclosure of his severe fear of flying during his season at Iowa State.
At the 2012 NBA Draft Combine, White measured at 6'8" and had the widest hands of any player participating. He was drafted by the Houston Rockets on June 28, 2012, with the 16th selection. He was represented by Andrew Vye and Andy Miller of the ASM Sports as his agents.
White has an anxiety disorder and a fear of flying. He asked the Rockets for permission to travel by bus when necessary in order to limit his flight schedule. The Rockets and White came to an agreement regarding travel, including allowing White travel by personal bus rather than flying. White missed the first week of training camp before this agreement was put in place.
A few games into the season, White had a dispute with the Rockets regarding mental health matters that led to his absence from the team. As of December 26, he had not shown up to work with the Rockets, according to head coach Kevin McHale. On December 29, Houston assigned White to its D-League affiliate Rio Grande Valley Vipers. On December 30, White refused assignment to the Vipers. On January 6, 2013, the Rockets suspended White without pay for failing to perform his contract. On January 26, 2013, the Rockets and White mutually agreed that he would report to the Vipers on February 11, 2013. On February 12, White made his professional debut with the Vipers in a 139–122 win over the Maine Red Claws, playing 18 minutes off the bench and leading the team with eight rebounds.
A February 8 story in USA Today story explained White's situation. Although White endured 20 flights for travel during his season at Iowa State, the Rockets' NBA schedule called for 98 flights. White had attempted to cope with travel in college through the use of Benadryl and Xanax, but found that both reduced his energy level. White stated that he was concerned that the increased number of flights and the long-term use of the medications could lead to addiction.
On March 21, White announced via Twitter that following professional medical advice of team doctors along with his doctors, he would no longer be playing for the Vipers. After missing three road games to Indiana and Pennsylvania, White returned to the Vipers for their final six games. The Vipers went on to sweep three playoff series and win the 2013 championship, but White did not play in the playoffs. Over the course of the season, White traveled using a bus provided by the Rockets for 15 road games.
2014
On July 13, 2013, the Rockets traded White and the rights to Furkan Aldemir to the Philadelphia 76ers for future considerations. On September 27, at media day, White stated that he planned to travel with the team when necessary (even on its pre-season trip to Spain). However, White did not make the October 4 trip with the team to Spain. According to 76ers coach Brett Brown, the decision was made based on advice from the team physician. On October 25, 2013, White was waived by the 76ers.
On March 6, 2014, White signed a 10-day contract with the Sacramento Kings and was immediately assigned to the Reno Bighorns of the NBA D-League. He made his debut for the Bighorns the next day in a 112-86 win over the Idaho Stampede. On March 14, 2014, he was recalled by the Kings. On March 18, he signed a second 10-day contract with the Kings. On March 21, White made his NBA debut, playing 56 seconds and missing his only field-goal attempt in the Kings' 99–79 loss to the San Antonio Spurs. White's final NBA appearance came on March 26, 2014, in a 107-99 loss to the New York Knicks. Royce committed two fouls in seven minutes of action, but otherwise accumulated no statistics. After White's second 10-day contract expired, the Kings decided to part ways with him.
2016–2018
On December 8, 2016, White signed with the London Lightning of the NBL Canada. During the season, he set a league record for triple-doubles with 4 (plus one in the playoffs). On May 11, 2017, he was named the 2017 NBL Canada regular season league MVP. On June 5, White posted 34 points, 15 rebounds and 9 assists to lead the Lightning to their 3rd NBL Canada Championship since the league was formed in 2011.
On July 28, 2017, White re-signed with the London Lightning for the 2017–18 season. He led the league in scoring with 25.4 points per game. On April 27, 2018, White received an 11-game suspension during the 2018 playoffs for a verbal outburst with an official and the deputy commissioner of the league, effectively ending his season. White was named to the First Team All-NBLC. After the end of the season, the London Lightning announced that White would not be returning to the team.
On July 12, 2018, White signed a deal with Auxilium Torino of the Italian LBA and the EuroCup Basketball. However, he did not report for training camp and his contract was voided on August 23, 2018.
NBA statistics
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|
| style="text-align:left;"| Sacramento
| 3 || 0 || 3.0 || .000 || – || – || .0 || .0 || .0 || .0 || .0
Other basketball endeavors
In May 2019, White was the first overall pick in the Big3 2019 draft. He was drafted by the Enemies team. He was ejected from his first game in the league on June 22 following a fight with Josh Smith.
In 2021, White joined Power and participated in the team's eight weeks of play in the BIG3 League.
Mixed martial arts career
In early 2019, White released a book, MMA x NBA, A Critique of Modern Sport in America, and announced that he was transitioning into mixed martial arts.
After two years of training in mixed martial arts, White made his professional mixed martial arts debut against Daiqwon Buckley at LFA 120 on December 10, 2021. He lost the bout via unanimous decision.
Mixed martial arts record
|-
| Loss
| align=center|0–1
| Daiqwon Buckley
| Decision (unanimous)
| LFA 120
|
| align=center|3
| align=center|5:00
| Prior Lake, Minnesota, United States
|
|}
Political career
White led several protests in the wake of the murder of George Floyd.
On July 10, 2021, White received media attention for his protest against the Uyghur genocide during a Big3 postgame interview. Commentators contrasted his statements with stances taken by the NBA.
On February 22, 2022, White announced he would run for the Republican nomination for the United States House of Representatives in Minnesota's 5th congressional district, which is currently represented by Ilhan Omar. His campaign was endorsed by former President Donald Trump's advisor, Steve Bannon, and he appeared on the radio show of Alex Jones. White lost the Republican primary to Cicely Davis. The New York Post referred to White as "a far-right populist," who has "embraced conspiracy theories ranging from the origins of the coronavirus to the integrity of the 2020 presidential election and satanic influences in the federal government." White has referred to the Federal Reserve as a "corporate merged power – of globalist power, of financial tyranny" and has criticized the "pervasive effect" of the LGBTQ community on society. Following the October 28, 2022 attack on Paul Pelosi, husband of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, White promoted the false conspiracy theory that the attack was the result of Paul Pelosi's involvement in an extramarital gay affair.
On August 16, 2023, White announced, via Twitter, that he would be running for the U.S. Senate in 2024 as a Republican.
Personal life
White has a history of Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), mainly triggered by his highly publicized fear of flying.
White has four children.
References
External links
Iowa State Cyclones bio
1991 births
Living people
21st-century African-American sportspeople
African-American basketball players
African-American Catholics
African-American mixed martial artists
American expatriate basketball people in Canada
American expatriate basketball people in Italy
American men's basketball players
Auxilium Pallacanestro Torino players
Basketball players from Minneapolis
Big3 players
Candidates in the 2022 United States House of Representatives elections
DeLaSalle High School (Minneapolis) alumni
Hopkins High School alumni
Houston Rockets draft picks
Iowa State Cyclones men's basketball players
Lega Basket Serie A players
London Lightning players
Minnesota Golden Gophers men's basketball players
Power forwards (basketball)
Reno Bighorns players
Rio Grande Valley Vipers players
Sacramento Kings players
American men's 3x3 basketball players
American male mixed martial artists
Minnesota Republicans