With us losing out on Arnett Moultrie, Royce white could be an amazing get, or a horrible mistake for us. I personally think he would be a great get, he did get into legal trouble while at Minnesota, but i think he learned his lesson and wouldn’t cause any trouble here. if coach cal does take him on though I would advise him to kick white off the team if he gets in troubles. Here are some notes about White (compliments of John Clay)
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[*]He’s a 6-foot-7, 210-pound small forward from Hopkins, Minnesota. (Some list him now as being 6-8, 250, but that was not his listing coming out of high school.)
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[*]White was dismissed from DeLaSalle High School in Minnesota for academic misconduct.
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[*]After transferring, he led Hopkins to a Minnesota state title.
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[*]ADDED: White was rated as the No. 2 small forward in the 2009 class, and the No. 19 prospect overall, by Rivals.com.
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[*]White committed to Minnesota and Tubby Smith on April 3, 2008. He later signed with the Gophers.
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[*][URL=”http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=4619336″]On Oct. 13, 2009, White was involved in an incident at a Minneapolis mall[/URL] after which he faced misdemeanor charges of theft and fifth-degree assault. White allegedly shop-lifted a pair of pants and a shirt totaling $100 and pushed a mall security guard.
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[*]White was suspended indefinitely by the Gophers.
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[*]White admitted to the crime and reached a plea agreement to pay $600 in fines and to remain away from the mall for a year.
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[*][URL=”http://wcco.com/local/gophers.royce.white.2.1373565.html”]On Nov. 11 of last year, White was investigated for allegedly being involved in the theft of a laptop[/URL] from a University of Minnesota dorm room. The case was referred to the Minneapolis city attorney’s office for possible charges.
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[*]With White still under investigation, [URL=”http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=4647688″]Smith said that the freshman would not play in Gophers’ opener.[/URL]
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[*]White announced, via YouTube, on Dec. 19 that he was leaving college basketball.
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[*][URL=”http://www.startribune.com/blogs/80432212.html”]White attended Minnesota’s practice just before New Year’s.[/URL]
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[*][URL=”http://www.startribune.com/sports/gophers/83253672.html”]On Feb. 1, White announced that he was withdrawing from Minnesota.[/URL]
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[*][URL=”http://wcco.com/sports/royce.white.interview.2.1486311.html”]In a Minneapolis radio interview,[/URL] White said of his reputation, “”If you read what I am on paper, I could see how you could think that and I couldn’t necessarily be upset with you for why you think that.”
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[*]Michael Jordan’s trainer says [URL=”http://www.startribune.com/sports/gophers/blogs/93441894.html”]White is a potential first-round pick down the road.[/URL]
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[*][URL=”http://www.startribune.com/sports/gophers/blogs/93441894.html”]Exceprt from Myron P. Medcalf’s blog for the Minneapolis Star-Tribune:[/URL] “White has reportedly asked Tubby Smith for a chance to return to the team. But a source close to the program said Gophers staffers still have concerns about White’s behavioral challenges and his social circle. The Gophers have one available scholarship to use on their 2010 class, the one White gave up when he unexpectedly left school earlier this year.”
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[*][URL=”http://twitter.com/GophersBBGuy”]On June 16, Medcalf tweeted:[/URL] “I’m told Royce White “narrowing in” on Kentucky. Mutual interest. Guy wants to go pro. Calipari sends guys to the pros early. Makes sense.”
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[*]White would not be eligible for fall semester because he does not have credit hours. Can’t use summer school to get those hours, according to NCAA. Without a waiver, earliest White would be eligible is spring semester.
[/LIST][/QUOTE]read [URL=”http://johnclay.bloginky.com/2010/06/18/many-things-to-know-and-consider-about-royce-white/”]the entire article[/URL]
and Eamon Brennan of ESPN had this tho say about White
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Things quickly went downhill. White was charged with shoplifting and assault in an incident at the Mall of America; soon thereafter, he was implicated in the theft of a laptop from a dorm room. That led to a suspension and White’s eventual YouTube “retirement,” which was both thoroughly entertaining and thoroughly bizarre. White came back to the Gophers shortly after that retirement, but eventually left, [URL=”http://espn.go.com/blog/collegebasketballnation/post/_/id/3077/royce-white-says-goodbye-again”]saying he couldn’t trust Minnesota university police and didn’t feel safe on campus[/URL].
In other words, if Tubby Smith didn’t have heartburn before he signed Royce White, he certainly does now.
Whether Calipari would be willing to take on White has a lot to do with whether he thinks White’s talent outweighs his baggage. An athletic 6-foot-8, 225 pounds, White could be a force on the court. But he’d also face eligibility issues. White’s academic failures would force him to enroll in fall classes and hope to get eligible in time for the spring semester, as players cannot use summer school toward eligibility for the fall semester.
It’s risky. White is a good player, and maybe he can get figure things out and make the most of a second chance at another high-profile hoops program. But if his time at Minnesota is any indication, White could be more trouble than he’s worth.[/QUOTE]
