Royce White has refused to go the D-League

[crownontherocks]

Royce White has refused to go the D-League, as requested by the Rockets, saying in a statement, "I do wish to play, but I only intend to do so with the collaboration and recommendation of trained professionals."
White goes on to say the team has made "unsafe" decisions and has been "extremely misleading" in their presentation of the facts, while "refusing to adhere to medical sensibility." This destroys any notion of goodwill between Royce and the Rockets, and it's starting to feel like a matter of time before Houston cuts ties with their No. 16 draft pick.

Source: Jonathan Feigen on Twitter Dec 30 - 2:08 PM

[rondohondo]

wow Royce white has a worse attitude than Demarcus Cousins.

A shame too because I think the kid has a ton of talent and an NBA ready body/athleticism.

[AB_Celtic]

I still remember when I was disappointed we ended up with Sully instead of him. Boy was I wrong.

[CelticsFan9]

I didn't want him, but I hoped he had a decent career in the league.

Really unfortunate.

[hpantazo]

Royce White has refused to go the D-League, as requested by the Rockets, saying in a statement, "I do wish to play, but I only intend to do so with the collaboration and recommendation of trained professionals."
White goes on to say the team has made "unsafe" decisions and has been "extremely misleading" in their presentation of the facts, while "refusing to adhere to medical sensibility." This destroys any notion of goodwill between Royce and the Rockets, and it's starting to feel like a matter of time before Houston cuts ties with their No. 16 draft pick.
Source: Jonathan Feigen on Twitter Dec 30 - 2:08 PM

The Rockets should just dump him. I'm all for supporting someone with mental illness, but this guy doesn't want to play in the NBA, he wants to take advantage of his condition to make a point and get paid for doing nothing but criticizing his employer. Ron Artest and Demarcus Cousins have some psychiatric issues but make a full effort to work and compete every year. This guy does the opposite.

I haven't seen a single comment from him about being sorry or disappointed that he hasn't been able to play yet for his team, or that he's looking forward to helping his team. Every statement is legal-speech about how he's being mistreated by the Rockets when they put their faith in him by drafting him and have tried to work with him and accomodate him.

If playing in the D-league is really too stressful for him, then he shouldn't be in the NBA because it's just going to get more and more stressful.

[Eja117]

At this point I am starting to wonder if he has gotten any NBA checks yet. Where is this guy's money coming from? What is he doing for a job? Where is he on this planet, what is he doing and how is he doing it?  It makes no sense. Is he getting a check and is just on the injury report? 

[hpantazo]

At this point I am starting to wonder if he has gotten any NBA checks yet. Where is this guy's money coming from? What is he doing for a job? Where is he on this planet, what is he doing and how is he doing it?  It makes no sense. Is he getting a check and is just on the injury report?

I think they are legally obligated to pay him. This is in all essence an injury. It's like when a guy has knee surgery the doctors can say at some point, you're ready to play. But here it's much more undefined as to when/how someone with anxiety disorder is ready to play. Unfortunately I believe White is taking full advantage of that.

[Eja117]

At this point I am starting to wonder if he has gotten any NBA checks yet. Where is this guy's money coming from? What is he doing for a job? Where is he on this planet, what is he doing and how is he doing it?  It makes no sense. Is he getting a check and is just on the injury report?

I think they are legally obligated to pay him. This is in all essence an injury. It's like when a guy has knee surgery the doctors can say at some point, you're ready to play. But here it's much more undefined as to when/how someone with anxiety disorder is ready to play. Unfortunately I believe White is taking full advantage of that.

It's just that he refuses to show up, refuses to do what they tell him, bad mouths them.  I just find this whole thing amazing.  It just seems that Royce thinks a mental illness gives him permission to do or not do whatever he wants. If I'm a judge I'm at least requiring him to do what he did for Iowa State because it is known that he can absolutely do that. I suppose an illness can worsen, but geeze. And Royce is making no statements at all about "This is what ISU did to help me that they didn't do". Instead he's just like "They're mean. I don't have to do anything if I don't want to".   

If I'm the Rockets I'm going to the union, to Stern, to court. I'm documenting the heck out of stuff, and then I'm stopping checks. He can get it back when he shapes up. If this goes well for Royce I could see other players getting various diagnosises as well. PTSD and such.

[TripleOT]

Houston is chock full of promising young players, many who play White's position.  There's no way they continue to let this rookie dictate how they utilize him. 

The Rockets will have to carefully skirt labor law regarding mentally ill workers as they jettison him.  I'm sure some other team will take a shot at him and the Rockets can probably grab a second round pick for him.

In hindsight, the Rockets should have grabbed big man Tyler Zeller, who was selected one pick after White.   

[Eja117]

I find it amazing that at this extremely early time in his career we can probably label him the biggest head case in NBA history. And that's not me trying to be mean. The NBA has seen some headcases. Derrick Coleman. Isiah Rider. Maybe even Iverson on a bad day. And I'm not trying to confuse headcase with diva here. But this is unreal.

[hpantazo]

At this point I am starting to wonder if he has gotten any NBA checks yet. Where is this guy's money coming from? What is he doing for a job? Where is he on this planet, what is he doing and how is he doing it?  It makes no sense. Is he getting a check and is just on the injury report?

I think they are legally obligated to pay him. This is in all essence an injury. It's like when a guy has knee surgery the doctors can say at some point, you're ready to play. But here it's much more undefined as to when/how someone with anxiety disorder is ready to play. Unfortunately I believe White is taking full advantage of that.

It's just that he refuses to show up, refuses to do what they tell him, bad mouths them.  I just find this whole thing amazing.  It just seems that Royce thinks a mental illness gives him permission to do or not do whatever he wants. If I'm a judge I'm at least requiring him to do what he did for Iowa State because it is known that he can absolutely do that. I suppose an illness can worsen, but geeze. And Royce is making no statements at all about "This is what ISU did to help me that they didn't do". Instead he's just like "They're mean. I don't have to do anything if I don't want to".   

If I'm the Rockets I'm going to the union, to Stern, to court. I'm documenting the heck out of stuff, and then I'm stopping checks. He can get it back when he shapes up. If this goes well for Royce I could see other players getting various diagnosises as well. PTSD and such.

I agree. He's setting a bad precedence and ruining it for players who actually want to try and play despite having a mental illness. There are absolutely no statements of what he expects from the Rockets, what exactly did they not provide, etc. And as you said, he was able to play at ISU, how is the D-league so much more stressful? The Rockets are kind of screwed here though, they are likely to come out looking like abusers if they sue him. They are better off cutting him, arranging a buyout, and cutting their losses. If they are really lucky, maybe they can trade him to another NBA team for a 2nd round pick.

[Eja117]

If I'm the Rockets I might go get some help from groups like NAMI and be like "What do you recommend? What's fair here? We think he's publicly abusing this because of x,y, and z. Can you help back us up? Cause this is absurd". 

And then I'd give the kid a last warning and then go to war against him.  This shouldn't be tolerated. If i had any aaannnnnyyyy inkling whhhaaaaaatttsoeeeeevvveer that Royce was doing even ONE thing to meaningfully work with the Rockets I'd be ok with this. Instead he does less than he did for ISU, badmouths them, and wants us to think they're the bad guys. 

People know more about illness than Royce thinks. People are starting to know the difference between anxiety, depression, bipolar, schitzo-affective do, paranoia, etc. People believe he can play cause we've seen it.  Now do your job the best you can. Nobody thinks you're doing that.

[Birdman]

I say he will never play in NBA

[Eja117]

I don't see him playing in Europe either. That's a huge flight. Or boat ride.

[pearljammer10]

I still remember when I was disappointed we ended up with Sully instead of him. Boy was I wrong.

Me too man same thoughts.

And I agree with others in that people know more about illnesses, conditions whatever you wanna call it than he thinks. It's terrible that he's got whatever anxiety condition he's got but there are many many treatments and types of help he can get to overcome whatever he's going through. In this situation he is the one being unprofessional.

At this point I find one of three things going on here;
1. His condition is beyond fixable
2. He is a lot worse then anyone thought and there is more going on than just anxiety. (Insanity)
3. He is upset about playing in Houston and is trying to force a trade by acting out.