Royce White’s grandfather dropped him off in Ames, Iowa on Sunday. What’s the next stop for White?
If conversations during the coming weeks determine the Iowa State sophomore is going to be an NBA lottery choice in June, then the former Hopkins High School All-American has likely played his last college game. His grandfather, Frank White, told Sports Headliners on Monday that Royce’s dream has always been an NBA career. “If he’s a top 10 lottery pick there’s no way I would (try to) convince him to stay,” Frank said.
The two Whites have a close relationship. Frank has mentored Royce from childhood. “I was there (at Royce’s birth) to cut the umbilical cord,” Frank said.
It was grandpa who drove 220 miles from his suburban St. Paul home last week to Ames to pick up Royce. Then he drove the Big 12 Conference Newcomer of the Year 600 miles to Iowa State’s NCAA tournament games in Louisville. The two made the return trip to Ames on Sunday while Royce’s teammates flew home.
Royce suffers from anxiety and preferred not to fly to Louisville, believing he would feel better for the most important college games of his life if he travelled by car. Frank said fans should understand while it made Royce a “little more comfortable” to travel by car, it’s not that his grandson hasn’t done a lot of flying. Royce was on all the Iowa State Big 12 airplane trips except one and took a preseason trip with the Cyclones to Italy. “He’s been flying since third or fourth grade,” Frank said.
There can’t be any second-guessing the decision to drive to Louisville. Not after White helped the Cyclones to an opening tournament win on Thursday over defending NCAA national champion Connecticut. And not on Saturday after he scored 23 points, grabbed nine rebounds and had four assists while showing he was the most versatile player on the floor against a star-laden Kentucky team.
The Wildcats are the No. 1 overall seed in the tournament but it was White who received much of the attention from media and fans during and before the game. He seemed to enjoy the attention and at one point in the Kentucky game reportedly yelled: “I am the best player in the country.”
CBS recorded the moment and although his grandfather didn’t see it he had an explanation. “He said he was just trying to get everyone pumped up,” Frank said.
Royce looked toward the Iowa State fans when he made his statement. He has found acceptance in Ames after fighting through off-court problems with the Gophers, never playing a minute for his hometown University during the 2009-10 school year.
“He’s really embraced Iowa State and they have embraced him,” Frank said. “At the hotel (in Louisville) I had people telling me how great a young man (and) great player he is.”
Frank said Royce cried after the Kentucky loss, a defeat that may have been the first and only opportunity for him to fulfill his goal of winning a national championship. “I know he had some tears,” his grandfather said. “He believed he was going to win. Some of the Kentucky players he had played against (previously) in AAU (competition), and done well. Kentucky may have played its best game. Iowa State had its worst shooting game of the season.”
Despite being 6-feet-8 and 270 pounds, White wasn’t stereotyped at Iowa State as a player who could only position himself near the basket. Cyclones coach Fred Hoiberg, the former Timberwolves guard and front office executive, recognized White’s versatility and creativity. Hoiberg allowed White to bring the ball up the floor, sometimes being a primary ball handler and passer in the offense. White’s experiences at Iowa State will help make him more attractive to pro scouts who could project him both as a small and power forward.
Frank believes his grandson, who will be 21 next month, could move to the pros this year but he’s also comfortable with a decision to return to Iowa State for another season. Royce is a 3.0 student with a passion for music, a self-taught piano player who has long been interested in psychology. “I told him I don’t need anything other than for him to succeed in life,” Frank said.