Royce White not with Rockets for opening of training camp

[FlyGirl]

Battling anxiety issues. Wow. Most of us heard about his fear of flying but apparently he can't even go to camp right now. If it's like this now will he possibly have to sit out games too?

McAllen -
The Rockets announced that rookie forward Royce White is not with the club in McAllen for training camp because of "personal matters."

White also did not attend the club's media day on Monday for the same reasons.

He told FOX 26 Sports the personal matters are related to the fact that he suffers from anxiety issues.

"We are trying to figure out a plan for me to be healthy and successful long-term," White said. "It's not really anything that's going on right now. It's more of trying to take a pro-active approach and trying to put together a solid plan.

"It is definitely linked with my anxiety sure, but it's not so much as far as my anxiety now. Basically what happened was my doctor, we discussed it, and it was decided the way the plan was now just wasn't logistically healthy.

"So what can we do strategically to try and improve the chances of everybody being successful in this situation, my success and the Rockets success? If I fail then that's not good for them either, because it's an investment."

White said he did not know how long it would take before he rejoined the team.

Read more: http://www.myfoxhouston.com/story/19...#ixzz28FpHfzr1

[shanetrain93]

Wow.... That's a new one.

[BP225]

Someone get him a helmet for locker room interviews, problem solved.

[greewe]

Wishing Royce the best. He seems like a great kid with an obvious wealth of talent. I hope he can get his anxiety on track and emerge as a great NBA player.

[Pantazis76]

What anxiety issues does he have besides fear of flying?

[42]

His "fear of flying" is really just anxiety that he has issues with in many situations. It was a misunderstood example, the fear of flying.

He just kind of pesters the stewardesses when he has to fly, but he does when he has to. He's not like Madden.

[FlyGirl]

NBA rookie Royce White is not with the Houston Rockets at the team's training camp in McAllen, Texas, because the franchise does not have a plan to "ensure long-term health" for the former Iowa State star, who wrestles with anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder, according to a statement he released to ESPN.com on Wednesday night.

White will not join the franchise at training camp until he has "something in writing" that addresses the team's plan to treat his anxiety disorder and OCD, according to his publicist, California-based China Myers.

"There are often negative consequences to mental illness when not given the proper support," said White, according to a statement released through Myers. "Often, those consequences are more severe for the surrounding people than the sufferer him/herself. I am not willing to allow those consequences to befall on myself or others close to me.

"It causes me anxiety to know that serious consequences could happen if I do not express what I deal with, or if I am not truthful enough to ask for what I need to be healthy. For me, hiding is no longer a healthy option in treating my anxiety or OCD, so I have asked for some help from the organization to ensure long-term health for myself.

"It has been determined that without a specific plan in place, the current workplace is not healthy for me. I feel that it is essential to formulate the right plan for a better chance of execution, despite other timelines or agendas. The most important agenda to me is a plan that is healthy. Therefore, a plan has been requested that will support a healthy work environment. In addition to this, it has been requested that the standard requirements for players in regards to this plan be voided because it is not a standard situation.

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/84...-mental-health

In a gripping video documentary of Royce White's experience on NBA draft night, the former Iowa State star mustered more courage than will ever be required in his basketball career -- wherever that basketball career leads him.

White allowed the cameras of the website Grantland.com to spend draft night with him at the basketball offices on the Iowa State campus. Through tears, he explained how a room full of friends, family and other well-wishers watching the draft unfold on a flatscreen TV seemed like "a pack of wolves" to him. He did not duck or dodge or sugarcoat his condition, which he bluntly and correctly termed a "mental illness." When anxiety attacks come, he said, it's "panic on top of panic on top of panic. It feels like you're dying."

http://www.cbssports.com/nba/story/2...xiety-disorder

[Vinny6420]

Damn that is extremely unfortunate

[Pantazis76]

I feel for him, i myself have a fear of flying, a big one like him and i have panic attacks and have constant thoughts of dying in a crash..

So i feel for him big time.. this disorder sucks .

[The JNR]

I think he's doing the right thing, definitely, in asking that they address it. Don't want to create a problem that no one can fix because no one addressed the problem when it was manageable.

[crthomps]

As someone who lives with panic disorder every day of my life, I feel for him and his struggle.

[bojangles837]

I feel for him but I think this condition will lead to his early retirement which would be unfortunate for a player of his caliber.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[FlyGirl]

Royce White at odds with Rockets

HOUSTON -- Rockets first-round draft pick Royce White is away from the team and says the club has been "inconsistent" in its agreement to help him cope with his anxiety disorder.

The 6-foot-8 White, the 16th overall pick in the 2012 draft, made a deal with the team to travel by bus to some games this season, so he could confront his fear of flying and obsessive compulsive disorder over the long term. He flew with the team to its season opener in Detroit, then traveled by bus to games at Atlanta and Memphis.

He was not with the team for Monday's home game against Miami and also missed Tuesday's practice.

"In hindsight, perhaps it was not a good idea to be open and honest about my anxiety disorder -- due to the current situations at hand that involve the nature of actions from the Houston Rockets," White said in a statement released by his publicist Tuesday night. "As a rookie, I want to settle into a team and make progress, but since [the] preseason, the Rockets have been inconsistent with their agreement to proactively create a healthy and successful relationship."

Houston general manager Daryl Morey also released a statement on Tuesday night, saying White "is not available right now. We are committed to his long-term success and we will continue to support him now and going forward."

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/86...s-team-support

[Vinny6420]

Bad business from the Rockets part.... feel bad for the kid

[Nsingh93]

[FlyGirl]

White is tweeting a lot about it too.

[Miss_318]

My thing is they knew before they drafted him that he had this condition. He made it public and never shied away from it. It seems the Rockets are just looking for a way to put him in a bad light. If they didn't feel like being helpful in this situation and providing the resources he needs to help him get through it and play for their team then why draft him. Is it really that hard to give one guy ground transportation to away games? I don't blame him one bit. He tweeted a picture of the hotel room they put him in....and it was very high up. Knowing this guy has a great fear of heights why wouldn't you put him on a lower floor? Thats just being inconsiderate IMO. I feel bad for him.

And you have radio guys in Houston and fans tweeting him saying he should get over it because he's getting paid a lot of money. Money can't automatically fix a mental condition that you've battled all your life. it seems funny that his college team was able to accomadate his needs but a organization that make so much money cant.

[c_prej]

Hello all kinda new here and to baskeball. How is this guy looking for them when he does have time? All I know about him is what they said in the draft about him. THanks

[Pelicans78]

He's not being completely honest either, at least according to the Rockets. They're saying he's upset with his lack of playing time and isn't meeting with the specialist they asked him to meet with.

[Pelicans78]

They also shouldn't have drafted him this high knowing his medical issues. It's becoming a wasted pick.

[Luke's Pelicans]

They also shouldn't have drafted him this high knowing his medical issues. It's becoming a wasted pick.

Don't tell that to J. Duncan.....

[FlyGirl]

My thing is they knew before they drafted him that he had this condition. He made it public and never shied away from it. It seems the Rockets are just looking for a way to put him in a bad light. If they didn't feel like being helpful in this situation and providing the resources he needs to help him get through it and play for their team then why draft him. Is it really that hard to give one guy ground transportation to away games? I don't blame him one bit. He tweeted a picture of the hotel room they put him in....and it was very high up. Knowing this guy has a great fear of heights why wouldn't you put him on a lower floor? Thats just being inconsiderate IMO. I feel bad for him.

And you have radio guys in Houston and fans tweeting him saying he should get over it because he's getting paid a lot of money. Money can't automatically fix a mental condition that you've battled all your life. it seems funny that his college team was able to accomadate his needs but a organization that make so much money cant.

What is it that they AREN'T doing to help him? It was said that he wanted to take the road for some games. He's done/doing that. He's also put a picture of him and his drivers. What else is it that he wants? Has he made his needs public?

[FlyGirl]

He's not being completely honest either, at least according to the Rockets. They're saying he's upset with his lack of playing time and isn't meeting with the specialist they asked him to meet with.

By the sounds of one of his tweets, he wants to see HIS doctor and they must be sending him to their doctors. I don't know.

[bojangles837]

I'm glad he's not on our team. I don't think he's gonna last in the nba

[FlyGirl]

Royce White ‏@Highway_30
http://blog.chron.com/ultimaterocket...-with-rockets/ … Funny how there is SO much ppl seen to know, but the head honcho won't speak. Low Validity, I think is a understatement

IMO, he needs to stop tweeting. I don't know how saying all of this against your employer in the public eye can end up positively.