Background and career
Royce Alexander White (born April 10, 1991) is an American political candidate and former professional basketball player who was the Republican Party's nominee in the 2024 United States Senate election in Minnesota and is a Republican candidate for the 2028 presidential election. A two-time Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL) champion, White was named a Class 3A MSHSL champion in 2006 as a freshman at DeLaSalle High School; as a senior, he was named Minnesota Mr. Basketball and won a H Class 4A MSHSL championship with Hopkins High School in 2009, leading Hopkins to a perfect (31–0) record. White played college basketball for the Iowa State Cyclones, leading the 2011–12 team in every major statistical category. White was selected by the Houston Rockets in the first round of the 2012 NBA draft. While White did not play for the Rockets, he played in three games for the Sacramento Kings in 2014. He gained notoriety for his generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), mainly triggered by a fear of flying, which led to disagreements with the Rockets over mental health issues and travel. He also played for the Rio Grande Valley Vipers and the Reno Bighorns of the NBA G League. From 2016 to 2018, White played for the London Lightning of the NBL Canada, winning an NBL Canada championship and an MVP award. After initially leading several Black Lives Matter protests in 2020, White entered politics in 2022. He ran an unsuccessful campaign in the Republican primary for Minnesota's 5th congressional district as a right-wing populist. Later White ran as the party's nominee for the U.S. Senate and losing to incumbent Amy Klobuchar in 2024. Two years later, he unsuccessfully sought the party's U.S. Senate nomination once more in 2026, this time finishing third place. His campaigns have been noted for their embrace of conspiracy theories.
White was born on April 10, 1991, in Minneapolis, the son of Kevin Tucker and Rebecca White. He is of multiracial origin, with Mexican, Norwegian, Welsh, and African-American ancestry. White's grandfather, Frank White, is a Minnesotan baseball historian, and his great-grandfather, Louis "Pud" White Jr., was a baseball player in Negro and semi-professional leagues. His uncle, Dave Winfield, was a professional baseball player. White's father was not present in his life when he was young; they reconnected when White was 13. He witnessed his mother be mistreated by an abusive boyfriend. White split time living with his mother, his grandfather and other relatives in different areas of Minneapolis–Saint Paul. He was first diagnosed with mental health issues aged 16 when he had a "massive panic attack" after smoking marijuana.
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.
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 left the University of Minnesota in February 2010 without playing a game. White achieved better than a 3.0 grade point average in his first semester at Minnesota.
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.
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, 11.5 inches (29.2 cm), 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. By December 26, 2012, 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, the Rockets and White mutually agreed that he would report to the Vipers on February 11. 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.
