The Philadelphia 76ers made an expected but kind of sad move on Thursday as the team decided to part ways with young star Royce White after acquiring him from the Houston Rockets three months ago.
According to ESPN.com, the team decided to release White along with three other players and now that marks the end to his second stint with an NBA team after being drafted by the Rockets. White has publically spoken about his mental health issues and while the Rockets seemingly were working with him on that, they decided to trade him after he was the number 16 pick in the 2012 draft and he never played for the team. The Sixers appeared to be working with him as well, but clearly it did not work out and now White is out of a job.
Many have speculated that White will have problems in the NBA due to his anxiety and mental health issues related to flying and now it remains to be seen whether he will make it with another team. White played in five games in the preseason, starting one game and he averaged 5.0 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.2 assists. White had issues when he did not accept a D-League assignment from the Rockets and he also has acknowledged publically his mental health issues.
From the past from SWR on Royce:
Royce White could be one of the most talented players in the NBA, but no one will ever know if that statement is true until he sets foot on the court.
White was drafted as a first round pick by the Houston Rockets last year, but he has not played for the team in the regular season due to a health dispute regarding his mental health and safety. A Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel video segment featuring White will air on Tuesday night on HBO and will detail his struggles to get to the court.
According to SI.com, the website received and advanced copy of the 16-minute feature and said that it includes an on-camera interview with Bernard Goldberg, as well as a five-page letter sent to White by Rockets GM Daryl Morey in November, and a portion of a mental health protocol that White and his doctor drafted and want inserted into his contract.
White was the No. 16 pick for the Rockets in the 2012 NBA draft, but has not played this season due to issues regarding the treatment of his mental health. According to SI.com, White suffers from "Generalized Anxiety Disorder, panic attacks, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and a fear of flying."
The Rockets knew about the mental health issues with White when they drafted him, but said at the time they could work something out. The two worked on a "good faith deal" to try and help with his travel issues by having White go to games by bus when he could, but that did not materialize.
