Royce White has been clear from the start that he wanted to help change the perception of people battling mental illness. He was the No. 16 pick by the Houston Rockets in the 2012 draft but the potential point forward (he had those kinds of skills coming out of college) has never played a second in the NBA.
White battles a generalized anxiety disorder, which includes a fear of flying and is eased by a steady and predictable routine. Those are two things that don’t really mesh with the NBA lifestyle and how to handle it led to a lot of tension between White and the Rockets. He was traded to the 76ers this offseason where he may be seen as more of an expiring contract.
White still wants to make a difference and he may have found a way to do that — helping open a wellness center in Houston, something reported at the Houston Chronicle’s Rockets blog.
On Wednesday morning, White announced a partnership with his non-profit organization Anxious Mind’s Inc. and Bee Busy Wellness Center to create the Royce White Institute of Mental Health on the city’s southwest side…
White, who has been open about his own struggles with an anxiety disorder, said that he thinks every city should have a center where free mental healthcare is offered. He started the Anxious Mind’s Inc. group while in college at Iowa State, and this is the organization’s first partnership. He said he hopes to see it grow.
Helping people in that way would mean a lot more than an NBA career.