Skip to main content

Royce White leaves D-League, returns to Houston

Royce White is headed back to Houston, but not necessarily to play for the Rockets. (Nick Laham/Getty Images)

Royce White is headed back to Houston, but not necessarily to play for the Rockets. (Nick Laham/Getty Images)

The Royce White saga continues.

After reporting to the NBA's Development League in February, Houston Rockets rookie Royce White tweeted Thursday that he has been advised by a team physician to return to Houston.

It's unclear, however, whether that advice comes from the Rockets team physician or a doctor with the NBDL's Rio Grande Vipers. It's also uncertain whether White will be back with the Rockets this season. He was told by the physician that "it is most logical" to be back in Houston, but White clarified that by no means does this mean he will be rejoining the Rockets.

The move back to Houston is yet another chapter in what can certainly be described as an unorthodox season for a professional athlete. White has been vocal about an anxiety disorder, specifically with flying in airplanes, and has worked with the Rockets to help him overcome his condition. Houston knew about the anxiety disorder when it drafted him last year out of Iowa State with the 16th overall pick, but matters seem to have only gotten worse over the course of the season, and there is clearly no indication that he will be back with the team or play in an NBA regular season game.

Most recently, White said he thinks the Rockets and the NBA want him "gone" because business is about convenience and "not about doing what's necessary."

"If I was to make an educated guess, I would guess that Adam Silver and David Stern and the Rockets organization, some other owners in the league, GMs want me gone. And why do they want me gone? Because business is about convenience. It's not about doing what's necessary. It's about cutting overhead. A lot of times what's best for us as human beings doesn't meet that criteria for business people." https://twitter.com/Highway_30/status/314773162262937601

https://twitter.com/Highway_30/status/314733488819539968

https://twitter.com/Highway_30/status/314737127759962112

© 2024 ABG-SI LLC. SPORTS ILLUSTRATED IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF ABG-SI LLC. - All Rights Reserved. The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only. All betting content is intended for an audience ages 21+. All advice, including picks and predictions, is based on individual commentators’ opinions and not that of Minute Media or its related brands. All picks and predictions are suggestions only. No one should expect to make money from the picks and predictions discussed on this website. For more information, please read our Legal Disclaimer. Gambling content intended for 21+. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER.