29 replies to this topic

[Ace™]

As a lost, confused young man plays the martyr on Twitter timelines, Royce White's chance to construct a sustainable professional basketball career slips away. He's chasing cheers on the court for the Houston Rockets, but they haven't found him deserving of playing time. So, White started to lash out, search for his stardom in cyberspace, and it's turned a combustible partnership into an embarrassing public spectacle.
White has left the Rockets, and there's no telling when he'll return. Before long, White will lose the platform that he so desperately wants to advocate for mental illness. He's fighting a noble fight, with the most noble of intentions, and perhaps someday he can be remembered as a trailblazer on the issue of anxiety disorders.
Yet now, this can't be his crusade, his burden. It's too much. People have tried to tell him this. Royce White needs to save himself and save his basketball career. Without the NBA, his desire to bring awareness – to be a champion for change – will come to an unapologetic and abrupt end.
As White turns this organization into his betrayers, turns himself into a martyr of injustice, he should be preparing himself for the end of his NBA career. This is professional sports, and the cold truth is this: So far, he isn't worth the trouble. So far, he was a waste of a draft pick at No. 16, a waste of the time and care invested in him. Maybe that's hard for him to hear, but it's true – and only he can change it.
This isn't a dismissal of mental illness. This isn't a belittling of his struggle. This is simply a fact. As he rails against the Rockets' insistence that he meet with one of their doctors when he's failing to honor his contract to show up for practices and games, he's losing sight that this is the one organization that's invested in his mental health and development as a player.

[Zach Randolph]

He's a star in my heart

[Clutch™]

Geez, sucks for the Rockets... Such a dumbass. You finally achieve the goal that you have wanted for your whole life, the goal you worked so hard for, and you quit after 3 weeks? Wow. To think I was dissapointed when he got drafted before the Celtics' pick because I wanted him on the Celtiics.

[Truth34]

Why is he quitting? Just lack of motivation?

[Nina Barklartey]

This is a really sad story for both Royce and The Rockets. However, it is a story that affects so, so many people and it truly is paralyzing to so many. You wrote this up really well and thanks for not leaning in either direction or being judgemental- this is still really controversial and misunderstood in our soceity...

Why is he quitting? Just lack of motivation?

After reading The Godfather's piece I understood it to be an anxiety disorder...
Am I wrong?

[Saint Nick C]

I wish the best for him.

I just hope that he does something constructive and maybe local... some support from the Rockets maybe? But if you can't get on a plane, train or automobile you can't play in the NBA... unless it's 2K13.

But to be a trailblazer, you need to beat the condition, not succumb to it. I'm not trying to make it sound like it's easy, because it's not.

However, if you want to set and example, set a good one.

[Ambod Lion]

Yea he's qutting because if how they have 'handled' his disorder. Supposedly he is supposed to take buses to the games. Crazy

[Jan_Sobieski™]

One of he best to play the game.

[Nina Barklartey]

I wish the best for him.

I just hope that he does something constructive and maybe local... some support from the Rockets maybe? But if you can't get on a plane, train or automobile you can't play in the NBA... unless it's 2K13.

But to be a trailblazer, you need to beat the condition, not succumb to it. I'm not trying to make it sound like it's easy, because it's not.

However, if you want to set and example, set a good one.

True, indeed-indeed-
Part of that is the acknowledgement of the condition, asking for help and then taking that action
I don't know if doing it in public is such a good idea except maybe it is when you are trying to bring attention to that "pink elephant" in the middle of the room...
There is going to be so many opinions and who really knows what is the right or wrong?
I just wish this young man who is in so much pain, well...

[The Future]

Man.. he should go try to see courses or something. IT would be a huge waste to see his career go down like that so easily.

Even if he goes overseas, flying is still required.

[Sean™]

I cant believe he wants to just quit like that. He worked hard to get here and he's gonna let some mental disorder hold him back. If he cant make a living in the nba, then he cant make a living with any normal job either

[ban me pheggets]

ugh, I feel like he had a lot of potential

Oh well, it's all because of the disorder though.

Crap....

[Rondo is G.O.A.T]

This is a really sad story for both Royce and The Rockets. However, it is a story that affects so, so many people and it truly is paralyzing to so many. You wrote this up really well and thanks for not leaning in either direction or being judgemental- this is still really controversial and misunderstood in our soceity...



After reading The Godfather's piece I understood it to be an anxiety disorder...
Am I wrong?

Nah, he didn't write this: http://sports.yahoo....r-16011709.html

Anyways, I can't believe he is going to give up millions of dollars over a disorder.

[LeBron Said™]

Plagiarism?

[airWarrior]

just put a pill in his drink that will knock him out for a few hours and put him on a plane. he'll wake up and see how nothing happened and will be ready to play

[Poohdini]

he has some real problems...thats why he dropped so far

[Bruce Wayne]

I feel it's important just to let people know...that anxiety really isn't easy to overcome...I speak from experience.

what has he done to try and help it.

[Thank God Im Atheist]

He clearly has no choice.

I've never suffered from this disorder but unless you have it or you're a doctor, don't talk shit about him. It's impossible to know what he's going through.

It's just a shame cause he has so much talent and potential but health comes before everything. Plus he could have been a great role model for people who have this disorder and everyone in general.

[Penny]

Geez, sucks for the Rockets... Such a dumbass. You finally achieve the goal that you have wanted for your whole life, the goal you worked so hard for, and you quit after 3 weeks? Wow. To think I was dissapointed when he got drafted before the Celtics' pick because I wanted him on the Celtiics.

I cant believe he wants to just quit like that. He worked hard to get here and he's gonna let some mental disorder hold him back. If he cant make a living in the nba, then he cant make a living with any normal job either

Nah, he didn't write this: http://sports.yahoo....r-16011709.html

Anyways, I can't believe he is going to give up millions of dollars over a disorder.

I can't believe there are people like you saying fucking stupid things like this. If you don't have a clue about a disorder, about how serious a disorder can be and about how it effects and individual's life then shut the fuck up and don't say anything because you're just making yourselves look bad. Like really bad - bad enough that I feel embarrased to call myself a staff member at a forum with members as uneducated as this.

My God.

The clown who wrote this "article" is no better either. Smh

[Rondo is G.O.A.T]

I can't believe there are people like you saying [expletive deleted] stupid things like this. If you don't have a clue about a disorder, about how serious a disorder can be and about how it effects and individual's life then shut the [expletive deleted] up and don't say anything because you're just making yourselves look bad. Like really bad - bad enough that I feel embarrased to call myself a staff member at a forum with members as uneducated as this.

My God.

The clown who wrote this "article" is no better either. Smh

• Difficulty concentrating
• Fatigue
• Irritability
• Problems falling or staying asleep, and sleep that is often restless and unsatisfying
• Restlessness, and often becoming startled very easily

He is the one afraid of flying? This is a special case. It isn't like he some normal kid with an anxiety disorder. He has enough money to supply him with plenty of doctors and medicine, but he chooses to just not go to practice. It isn't like you need to fly to get to practice, and there has to be SOMETHING you can do to overcome the anxiety short term, until you can help yourself long term.