Rookie wants Rockets management to address his travelling concerns as he suffers from anxiety disorder which prevents him from travelling by air.
Royce White’s journey to the NBA has encountered a road block, as the rookie has asked the Houston Rockets management to allow him to travel by bus for close games, and has halted his involvement in the Rockets preseason schedule
till the issue is resolved.
White, a first round draft pick for the Rockets this summer, suffers from anxiety disorders which make it very difficult for him to travel. He feels anxious and panicked as soon as he enters the aircraft, and it is near to impossible
for him to sit through a long flight. In such a predicament, White has requested the Rockets management to draft a complete plan for him, in which he will be allowed to travel to away games by bus, as long as taking the bus is feasible in terms of the time
it would take for him to get there.
White was absent from the team’s media day on Monday, as well as the opening of training camp on Tuesday, and says that he hopes this issue can be resolved within the week, so that he can rejoin his teammates in preparation for
the upcoming season.
“What it's going to look like is every game that's drivable, I'm going to get a bus for myself. It has been determined that without a specific plan in place, the current workplace is not healthy for me. I feel that it is essential
to formulate the right plan for a better chance of execution, despite other timelines or agendas. The most important agenda to me is a plan that is healthy. Therefore, a plan has been requested that will support a healthy work environment,” said White.
White released a statement earlier on Wednesday through his publicist, China Myers, in which he said that his mental condition could have negative consequences not only for himself, but also for his teammates if not addressed properly.
White was red flagged for his mental disorder well before the NBA draft, and the talented player was expected to be picked up late in the first round of the draft. The Rockets, however, felt comfortable with their assessment of
him and picked him 16th overall. Although they have not addressed the situation as of now, they have said that they are going to support him now and in the future.
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