- South Florida men’s basketball is on an unbelievable heater– but also still on the bubblePosted 2 months ago
- Kobe Bufkin is balling out for Atlanta Hawks’ G League team. When will he be called up to NBA?Posted 3 months ago
- Former Knicks guards Immanuel Quickley, RJ Barrett may yet prove Raptors won the OG Anunoby tradePosted 3 months ago
- Rebounding savant Oscar Tshiebwe finally gets NBA chance he’s deserved for yearsPosted 4 months ago
- Is Tyrese Maxey vs. Tyrese Haliburton the next great NBA guard rivalry?Posted 5 months ago
- The Detroit Pistons are going to be a problem in a few yearsPosted 5 months ago
- March Madness hero, ex-Fairleigh Dickinson guard Demetre Roberts joins Austin Spurs’ G League training camp rosterPosted 6 months ago
- Cam Thomas is balling out once again. Will he finally stay in the Nets’ lineup?Posted 6 months ago
- Former NBA lottery pick Elfrid Payton lights up Raptors as emergency replacement for Australia’s Cairns TaipansPosted 6 months ago
- How does Damian Lillard compare to Jrue Holiday on defense?Posted 7 months ago
NBA Draft Profile: Royce White
- Updated: May 8, 2012
ROYCE WHITE
6-8, 270 lbs.
Hometown: Minneapolis, MN
School: Iowa State
Class: Sophomore
STRENGTHS: Pretty much everything. There’s not much that Royce White can’t accomplish on a basketball court, having averaged 13.1 points, 9.2 rebounds and 5.1 assists last season in leading the Cyclones to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2005. White was a breakout star in the NCAAs, scoring 15 points and grabbing 13 rebounds in a dominant second-round win over UConn, and then exploding for 23 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals in ISU’s third-round loss to Kentucky. White played so well in that game that overzealous analysts were drawing comparisons to Magic Johnson. He’s not Magic Johnson.
Still, you can see why the comparisons are made because White is a solid 6-8 and has point guard skills. He can be very successful in the NBA because of his ability to run an offense and facilitate for others. White can be used as either a point guard or point forward in the league and will have no trouble getting his teammates involved. He’s also a tough rebounder and defender and has NBA strength under the boards.
WEAKNESSES: White played just one season of Division 1 basketball and left Minnesota as a freshman after an incident at the Mall of America which resulted in him pleading guilty to theft and disorderly conduct charges. He’s also got some anxiety issues, and deals with a paralyzing fear of flying that nearly derailed his college career. Some teams may be reluctant to take a person with such an aversion to flying, because it is such a large part of the job as an NBA player. He’s also
BOTTOM LINE: White is a terrific prospect who has a skill set that could make him a star in the NBA. The question with him is whether or not he can overcome his anxiety issues, and the fear of flying that sometimes causes him to be exhausted during games. If he can, White will be a name to remember in this draft, as he may become a late first-round steal for the team that takes a chance on him.
Video by: Jared Jones @elitehoopsaau
Video from Swishscout.com: