Fear of Flying Grounded Royce White's NBA Dream

Published on October 25th, 2025 8:54 pm EST
Written By: Dave Manuel


Royce White had the kind of game that made scouts lean forward. At 6'8" and 260 pounds, he could handle the ball like a guard, rebound like a center, and run the floor like a freight train. Minnesota fans knew it. The Houston Rockets thought they'd found a matchup nightmare when they took him 16th overall in the 2012 NBA Draft. A player who could initiate the offense, defend multiple positions, and change the rhythm of a game with his versatility. But he never played a single minute in the NBA.

White's story isn't about a lack of talent. It's about fear - and a league that didn't know how to deal with it. White suffered from generalized anxiety disorder, and his fear of flying made road trips a nightmare. In a sport where teams crisscross the country for 82 games a season, that became an unsolvable problem.

He clashed with the Rockets over how his condition should be handled. White wanted guaranteed protocols for mental health, independent doctors, and structured support for players dealing with anxiety. Houston wanted him to show up, practice, and play. Neither side budged. He was assigned to the team's D-League affiliate but refused to report without a clear plan for treatment and travel.

Months passed. The Rockets suspended him. Eventually, they traded him to the Philadelphia 76ers - who released him before the season began. And that was it. A first-round pick, gone before ever appearing in a regular-season game.

It's easy to forget now, but White was ahead of his time. A decade later, the NBA promotes mental health awareness, and players openly discuss anxiety and depression. Back then, it was different. Teams didn't have mental health programs, and public understanding was minimal. White's situation made headlines, but the narrative wasn't kind. Some saw him as a malcontent, others as a wasted pick. Few saw a young man trying to survive a system that didn't fit him.

After leaving the NBA, White became a vocal advocate for mental health and even pursued a career in mixed martial arts and politics. The basketball dream didn't happen, but his story forced the league to pay attention to an issue it long ignored.

For every failed prospect, there's a reason - injury, talent gap, attitude. White's case was different. His challenge wasn't physical. It was psychological. And the NBA wasn't ready to meet it.