Former NBA Flameout Royce White Cements Political Career With Minn. GOP Senate Primary Win

It appears the third career is the charm for Royce White. 

A former NBA lottery pick turned professional fighter, White beat Joe Fraser, a Navy veteran, in the Minnesota Republican primary for the U.S. Senate on Tuesday. White will now challenge incumbent Democrat Amy Klobuchar in November. He is a native of Minnesota. 

White’s sports career will go down as a what-if. A 6-foot-8, 260-pound forward with guard skills a few years before the game started trending positionless, White was the 16th pick in the 2012 NBA draft out of Iowa State. He came into the NBA with some question marks due to a legal history in college and a fear of flying that didn’t impact his availability in college, but he was still considered a player with high potential. 

He ended up playing just three NBA games, all from 10-day contracts with the Kings after never playing for the Rockets due to disagreements over traveling for road games and his mental health. White used medication to help cope with his fear at Iowa State, but told USA Today he feared the long-term implications of using medication over the course of an 82-game regular season. White claims it won’t be an issue if he gets elected.

In a way, White was ahead of his time as he was talking about mental health in the NBA years before it became mainstream. He played two years overseas before dabbling in MMA, losing his one fight in December 2021. 

Now White has remade himself as a politician, closely aligning with former president Donald Trump. A self-described “MAGA extremist” according to the Minneapolis Star Tribune, the 33-year-old seems surprised at his own political success. 

His political career hasn’t come without controversy. White counts conspiracy theorist Alex Jones among his friends and has been accused of owing child support for his four kids and for using campaign finances on trips to a strip club. He hasn’t exactly denied those claims, either. His social media behavior has also drawn criticism, with his comments being classified as misogynistic, homophobic, antisemitic, and profane. 

After the majority of Minnesota’s GOP endorsed White at their state convention in May, White said, “I’m at a loss for words and that takes a lot.” 

White has also had the backing of former Trump official Steve Bannon, who is currently in prison for refusing a subpoena in an investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, storming of the Capitol. White called Bannon an “American hero” as he headed to prison and guest-hosted Bannon’s podcast just last weekend.

White will be a heavy underdog in November against Klobuchar, as the state has trended blue in recent elections. Klobuchar was first elected in 2006 and has held her seat for nearly two decades. Minnesota has not elected a Republican for president since Richard Nixon in 1972. 

Despite that, White remains optimistic at his chances of victory. 

“For many years, Republicans have talked about expanding our tent and focusing on the Twin Cities Metro,” White said in a statement released after his primary victory Tuesday. “I am committed to growing the base, bringing disenfranchised democrats into the tent, and unifying all conservatives in Minnesota. By doing this, we will deliver a victory for President Trump this November. Together we will bring the battle to unseat Amy Klobuchar.”