Royce White: Mental health revolutionary

Author and Nation columnist David Zirin believes Royce White is following in the path of those who have used their athletic platform to fight for social change.

February 14, 2013 at 6:49PM
Rio Grande Valley Vipers' Royce White (33) high-fives his teammates during a timeout against the Maine Red Claws in a basketball game Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2013, in Hidalgo, Texas. White scored seven points, grabbed eight rebounds and had four assists for the Vipers in their 139-122 win over Maine, one day after reporting to the Houston Rockets' developmental league affiliate. He had been away from the Rockets since early November after requesting an arrangement to help him properly treat his diagno
Rio Grande Valley Vipers' Royce White (33) high-fives his teammates during a timeout against the Maine Red Claws in a basketball game Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2013, in Hidalgo, Texas. White scored seven points, grabbed eight rebounds and had four assists for the Vipers in their 139-122 win over Maine, one day after reporting to the Houston Rockets' developmental league affiliate. He had been away from the Rockets since early November after requesting an arrangement to help him properly treat his diagnosed anxiety disorder while balancing the demands of the NBA schedule. (AP Photo/The Monitor, Joel Martinez) MAGS OUT TV OUT (Associated Press - Ap/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Author and columnist Dave Zirin, who writes the Edge of Sports blog for thenation.com, suggests that former Hopkins star Royce White is following in the steps of such sports pioneers as Billie Jean King, Bill Russell and Muhammad Ali by using his situation with the Houston Rockets to talk about mental health issues.

Zirin, a Macalester College alumnus, cited White's interview with author Chuck Klosterman on the website Grantland: Until that appeared, Zirin writes: "It wasn't clear just how politically thoughtful, serious and even revolutionary an athlete we have in Royce White. For White, this isn't just about his struggle or changing how NBA teams treat mental illness. It's about something far greater."

White was Houston's first-round draft choice in June after playing one season at Iowa State. After several games on the bench, he refused to report to Houston's Developmental League team, citing his conflict between with the Rockets over how his anxiety disorder should be handled. A couple of weeks back, after the Klosterman interview, White and the Rockets said they had worked out a deal and that he would report.

He played his first game this week.

Zirin writes: "Think about all the massive attention we are paying to gun violence and the absence of attention to what makes people crack and become violent in the first place. Think about the tragic shootings in Chicago and the absence of discussion about the poverty and racism that define the parts of that city where the murders are taking place. Think about the mental stress that precedes so much of the violence in communities around the country. This is the discussion Royce White wants us to have, and the 21-year-old seems like the only person in public life who wants to have it."

You can read Zirin's full post here.

about the writer

about the writer

Howard Sinker

Digital Sports Editor

Howard Sinker is digital sports editor at startribune.com and curates the website's Sports Upload blog. He is also a senior instructor in Media and Cultural Studies at Macalester College in St. Paul.

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