Former First-Round NBA Draft Pick, Royce White, Running For Congress

Rather than attack the basket, Royce White, a former NBA first-round pick, is now chasing a seat in Congress. White, 30, announced his intentions to seek the U.S. representative seat for Minnesota's fifth congressional district. He'll be running as a Republican with aspirations to reclaim a district that has been "voting blue for a long time."

White, who was selected 16th overall by the Houston Rockets in 2012, never appeared in an NBA game because of mental health issues, largely caused by anxiety associated with air travel. He's since become an advocate for mental health and a vocal supporter of conservative issues.

"This district has been voting blue for a long time, and I hope that I can shake that up," White said Tuesday, via the Star Tribune. "I hope that I can make people see that for a long time, they voted against their own interests."

White has long been shamed for his anxiety and largely conservative views, especially his stance on the government's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, which he calls "tyranny."

"What big pharma, big tech and the corporate elites have done to us during this pandemic shows us, tyranny is here," White said within his announcement video. "The line has been drawn and it's pretty damn clear - we the people, no longer have a choice."

In addition to calling out those who have profited from the pandemic, White took aim at current Minnesota fifth congressional district representative Ilhan Omar, a Democrat.

"My problem with Ilhan isn't that she's not an American," said White. "Or that she's not from Minnesota. She's in on it, she's a globalist. She's a puppet for the establishment. I'm here to sound the alarm."

White is one of three Republican candidates vying for the party's endorsement in an attempt to unseat Omar, a two-term incumbent.

“Ten years ago, I took on the NBA and the establishment," said White. "I said that mental health was one of the greatest issues we face. And I was willing to give up my dream to fight for people I have never met. I took the lead when others wouldn’t.

“My name is Royce White. I am a fifth-generation Minnesotan and a product of the Twin Cities. But first and foremost, I am an American.”

Props to White for always giving it his best shot, on and off the court.

 

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