FRIDAY, 10:33am: White said he has the team’s blessing to travel to a large part of the season’s schedule via bus and will join the Rockets for practice on Monday in Houston, writes Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle. The situation is obviously unique and the two sides may have to wait out a long process to get the arrangement approved by the league and the NBPA.
“We’ll go forward in a good faith deal between me and Rockets, and I’m totally comfortable with that,” said White. “We can find a way to get it into writing at some point. We do have a letter between us. It’s an agreement, not in contract form, but those are technicalities."
By traveling immediately after practices and games, White says that he will be able to maintain his normal sleeping schedule while still arriving in the next city on time for pre-game preparations.
THURSDAY, 11:06am: In an interview with Myron Medcalf of ESPN.com, White said that he hopes to work out an agreement with the Rockets which will allow him to travel to some road games via bus. The forward added that he is willing to purchase the bus and assume liability.
WEDNESDAY, 10:43pm: White won't be back at Rockets camp until the team gives him "something in writing" about its plans to deal with his anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder, according to a statement from his publicist, Myron Medcalf of ESPN.com reports.
8:33pm: Mark Berman of Fox 26 explains in a full story that White will not be back by Thursday, but is still close to doing so.
8:30pm: Berman deleted his original tweet, replacing it with another that removes the reference to White not reporting to camp tomorrow, so it appears he might be back by then.
8:21pm: White met with team officials today, and it went well, Berman hears (Twitter link). He won't report to camp tomorrow, but he appears close to rejoining the Rockets, according to Berman.
TUESDAY, 9:47pm: White has told Mark Berman of Fox 26 (via Twitter) that his absence is related to his anxiety troubles.
9:36pm: The Rockets released a one-line release from Morey stating, “We are committed to Royce's long term success and we will continue to support him now and going forward.”
5:41pm: The Rockets training camp is underway with two-a-day practices in session, but rookie Royce White has yet to report for unknown reasons. Houston brass has declined to comment on the matter but the club appears to be unhappy with the situation, writes Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle.
General Manager Daryl Morey and coach Kevin McHale did not give a timetable for White's return or an indication of what has caused the no-show. However, the 16th overall pick has been open about his anxiety troubles in the past and recently spoke about his fear of flying, which he said he was working on with doctors.
White, 21, was an All-American for Iowa State last season but chose to hire an agent and enter the NBA Draft in advance of what would have been his junior season. The power forward was initially set to play for Tubby Smith at Minnesota but was suspended for the entirety of his first season for an off-the-court indiscretion. White was set to sign with Kentucky after that, but could not bring himself to board the plane for his scheduled trip, according to Myron Medcalf of ESPN.com.
what a dipstick
seriously? lol that has to be a joke.
i feel sorry for whatever this dude is going thru. if he knew what i would do to fly that plane for about 40-plus, i would do anything
To the first two who left comments: Apparently you’ve never dealt with an anxiety disorder before, because if you had, you’d have nothing but empathy for what Royce White is going through. It’s emotionally and physically crippling at times. Though White is now a professional basketball player, he’s still a human being, and anxiety is a real disease. Please, afford him some respect.