Royce White facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Royce White

White in 2020
Power forward
Personal information
Born	(1991-04-10) April 10, 1991 (age 34) Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.
High school	DeLaSalle (Minneapolis, Minnesota) Hopkins (Hopkins, Minnesota)
Listed height	6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
Listed weight	260 lb (118 kg)
Career information
College	Iowa State (2011–2012)
NBA Draft	2012 / Round: 1 / Pick: 16th overall
Selected by the Houston Rockets
Pro career	2012–2018
Career history
2012–2013	Rio Grande Valley Vipers
2014	Sacramento Kings
2014	→Reno Bighorns
2016–2018	London Lightning
Career highlights and awards
NBL Canada champion (2017, 2018) NBL Canada Most Valuable Player (2017) 2× All-NBL Canada First Team (2017, 2018) NBL Canada scoring champion (2018) First-team All-Big 12 (2012) Big 12 Newcomer of the Year (2012) Big 12 All-Rookie team (2012) Jordan Brand Classic All-American (2009) Minnesota Mr. Basketball (2009)

Royce Alexander White (born April 10, 1991) is an American former professional basketball player. He was known for his skills on the court. White also later became involved in politics.

White was named Minnesota Mr. Basketball in 2009. He won two state championships in high school. He played for DeLaSalle High School and Hopkins High School. At Hopkins, his team had a perfect 31–0 record.

He played college basketball for the Iowa State Cyclones. He led his team in many important statistics.

The Houston Rockets picked White in the first round of the 2012 NBA draft. White has Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). This condition was mainly triggered by a fear of flying. This led to some disagreements with the Rockets about travel.

White played three games for the Sacramento Kings in 2014. He also played in the NBA G League. From 2016 to 2018, White played for the London Lightning in Canada. He won a championship and an MVP award there.

In 2022, White ran for the U.S. House of Representatives. He was a Republican candidate. He lost in the primary election. White then received the Republican nomination for the state's 2024 U.S. Senate election. He lost to the current Senator, Amy Klobuchar.

Early Life and High School Basketball

White was born in 1991 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. His parents are Kevin Tucker and Rebecca White. He has a diverse family background.

High School Achievements

White attended DeLaSalle High School for three years. His team won a state championship in 2006. After his second year, he joined special basketball camps. These included the LeBron James US Skills Academy.

For his senior year, White went to Hopkins High School. His team won the Class 4A MSHSL Championship in 2009. This was his second state championship. Hopkins finished the season with a perfect 31–0 record.

Experts rated him as one of the best high school power forwards. He received many college scholarship offers. White was also named a Jordan Brand Classic All-American. He was recognized as the 2009 Minnesota Mr. Basketball.

US college sports recruiting information for high school athletes

Name	Hometown	High school / college	Height	Weight	Commit date
Royce White PF	Minneapolis, MN	DeLaSalle (MN) Hopkins (MN)	6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)	205 lb (93 kg)	Apr 23, 2008
	Recruiting star ratings: Scout:   Rivals:   247Sports: N/A    ESPN grade: 94
Overall recruiting rankings: Scout: 10 (PF)   Rivals: 19, 2 (PF)  ESPN: 35, 8 (PF)
Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight. In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale. Sources:

College Basketball Career

Time at University of Minnesota

White faced a suspension during the 2009–10 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. He later left the University of Minnesota in February 2010. He had good grades in his first semester there.

Playing for Iowa State University

White for the 2011–12 Cyclones vs. the Iowa Hawkeyes

White transferred to Iowa State. He was not allowed to play during the 2010–11 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The NCAA denied his request to play sooner.

For the 2011–12 season, White was named the Big 12 Preseason Newcomer of the Year. He won the Big 12 Rookie of the Week award three times.

In the 2012 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament, White scored 15 points and grabbed 11 rebounds in a win. His season ended with a strong performance against Kentucky. He finished the season with 11 "double-doubles" (scoring double digits in two categories).

White led his team in points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks. He was the only player in Division I basketball to do this.

On March 4, 2012, White was named the Big 12 Newcomer of the Year. He was also selected for the first-team All-Big 12. He was an honorable mention Associated Press All-American.

On March 21, 2012, White decided to leave college early. He chose to enter the 2012 NBA draft.

College Basketball Statistics

Professional Basketball Career

NBA Draft and Early Challenges

White was a unique pick in the 2012 NBA draft. He was known for his strong build and versatile skills. However, he also had a publicly known fear of flying. The Houston Rockets drafted him with the 16th pick.

White has an anxiety disorder that includes a fear of flying. He asked the Rockets if he could travel by bus for some trips. The team and White agreed on a travel plan. This plan allowed him to use a personal bus instead of flying.

Despite the agreement, White had disagreements with the Rockets. These issues were related to mental health and travel. He was assigned to the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, a D-League team. White initially refused this assignment.

Later, White agreed to play for the Vipers. He made his professional debut on February 12, 2013. He played 18 minutes and led the team in rebounds.

The Rockets' NBA schedule involved many flights. White had used medication in college to cope with flying. However, he was concerned about using these medications long-term.

White returned to the Vipers for their final games. The Vipers won the 2013 championship. White traveled by bus for 15 road games that season.

Time with the Sacramento Kings

In July 2013, White was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers. He planned to travel with the team, but did not join their trip to Spain. The 76ers later released him in October 2013.

On March 6, 2014, White signed a 10-day contract with the Sacramento Kings. He was sent to the Reno Bighorns in the NBA D-League. He played his first game for the Bighorns the next day.

White made his NBA debut on March 21, 2014. He played briefly for the Kings. His final NBA game was on March 26, 2014. After his second 10-day contract, the Kings decided not to keep him.

Success in Canada

On December 8, 2016, White signed with the London Lightning in Canada. He set a league record for "triple-doubles" (double digits in three categories).

On May 11, 2017, he was named the 2017 NBL Canada Most Valuable Player. On June 5, White led the Lightning to their third NBL Canada Championship. He scored 34 points, grabbed 15 rebounds, and had 9 assists in that game.

White re-signed with the London Lightning for the 2017–18 season. He led the league in scoring, averaging 25.4 points per game. He was named to the First Team All-NBLC. White later left the team after the season.

NBA Statistics

Other Basketball Activities

In May 2019, White was the first pick in the Big3 2019 draft. He played for the Enemies team. In 2021, White joined the Power team and played for eight weeks.

Mixed Martial Arts Career

In early 2019, White wrote a book called MMA x NBA, A Critique of Modern Sport in America. He also announced he was starting a career in mixed martial arts.

After two years of training, White made his professional mixed martial arts debut. This was against Daiqwon Buckley at LFA 120 on December 10, 2021. He lost the fight by a decision from the judges.

Mixed Martial Arts Record

Political Career

Royce White has been involved in politics as a member of the Republican Party.

Campaigns for Office

On February 22, 2022, White announced he would run for the U.S. House of Representatives. He sought the Republican nomination in Minnesota's 5th congressional district. He lost the Republican primary election.

On August 16, 2023, White announced he would run for the U.S. Senate in 2024. He won the Republican primary election on August 13, 2024. He ran against the current Senator, Amy Klobuchar, and lost the general election.

After his loss in the 2024 Senate race, White expressed interest in running again in 2026. He considered running for the Senate seat held by Democratic Senator Tina Smith. He also expressed interest in running for governor.

Personal Life

White has Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). This condition is mainly triggered by his fear of flying.

White has four children. He is a member of the Catholic Church.

See also

In Spanish: Royce White para niños