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Former London Lightning star Royce White, who was as much a lightning rod as an MVP during his Forest City playing days, has taken his next big shot in the United States political arena.
The 33-year-old ex-basketballer has secured the Republican nomination for November’s Senate election in Minnesota and will take on Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar. Political pundits say his chances of stealing what has been described as a solid-Democratic seat are far less than making a successful three-pointer from his own baseline.
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Not that that has deterred the outspoken White. Since ending his active playing days in London, he has carved out his own political persona as an ardent Donald Trump supporter, conspiracy theorist, and mental health advocate.
He’s remembered in London for the blazing play that earned him MVP honours in the National Basketball League of Canada and his often-controversial behaviour when he played here from 2016 to 2018.
A former Mr. Basketball in Minnesota in 2009 and an Iowa State University star, White was drafted in the first round of the NBA draft in 2012. He disclosed that he suffered from generalized anxiety disorder and a fear of flying, and ultimately came in in conflict with his team over his mental health. He suited up for only three NBA games with the Sacramento Kings and played a total of three minutes.
After playing overseas, he ended up starring in London. At the end of his second season, White was accused of uttering a homophobic slur at fans in St. John’s, NL – the league found no wrongdoing after an investigation – but was ultimately suspended for 11 games, his fifth suspension in 2018, largely for a confrontation with a league official.
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That suspension was the end of his career in London. He went back to Minnesota where, in 2021, he tried to become a mixed martial artist but lost in his first bout.
So he turned to politics, first leading demonstrations in the wake of George Floyd’s murder in Minneapolis, then eschewing the Black Lives Matter movement and embracing a far-right ideology. He was mentored by now-jailed Conservative firebrand Steve Bannon and counts Alex Jones, the conspiracy theorist, as one of his supporters.
He lost a Republican primary for a Minnesota seat in Congress in 2022, after which the Federal Elections Commission flagged a $1,200 charge by the campaign at a Miami strip club. White would later say in an interview he went there because he liked the food.
He has also embraced several conspiracy theories, including questioning the origin of COVID-19, criticizing the LGBTQ community, and claiming there are satanic influences in the American federal government.
One of his many controversial statements was during an interview on Bannon’s podcast when he said “women have become too mouthy.” There are reports he owes thousands of dollars in child support.
White won Tuesday’s Republican primary with 39 per cent of the vote, or 74,645 votes. For comparison, Klobuchar took 95 per cent of the Democratic primary vote with 303,123 votes.
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