From the moment Royce White was drafted by the Rockets, the two were getting set for a player-organization stand-still.
White had been very open about his issues with anxiety disorder. In fact, he made it quite clear early on that he was not going to risk his mental health for an NBA career.
An understandable decision, to be sure. With that being said, recent developments have suggested that White’s future very likely doesn’t involve an NBA debut. White was assigned by the Rockets to a D-League stint, but has refused to report.
It’s very easy to take sides in a struggle like this. Many have cited White’s refusal to report for his D-League assignment as a lack of professionalism. White himself has been quick to dispel any misconstrued notions when talking about his refusal.
In an interview on Sirius XM’s “Off the Dribble”, White explained his reasoning for not reporting by claiming that the Rockets added a wrinkle to his medical set-up that he disagreed with:
“The protocol actually calls for medical professionals to have executive authority in medical situations regarding mental health. And that is something that’s been declined. So basically I’m fighting to have that rectified. I just don’t think it is OK or responsible or even logical to have GMs or any front office personnel have executive authority in medical situations.”
–Via ESPN
Both parties seem to be making some errors in their approach to the situation. The Rockets don’t come across as interested enough in White’s specific mental health requirements. White is airing perhaps too much in the public media about his dealings with Houston.
All hoop-heads can hope for is a speedy resolution, so that this marvelous talent can find his way to the court.
Mohamed Abdihakim is a journalism student at Florida Atlantic University. He is a Phoenix Suns fan, who is not prepared for the possibility of Nash winning a title in a Lakers jersey. Mohamed is also an editor at Hoops Nation and contributes to Les Snobs. Interests include International basketball, Mad Men, and blues music. Nearly all stats are credited to Hoopdata or Basketball-Reference.
Twitter handle: @Abdi_hakim
