Former Kings Forward Royce White Announces He's Running for US Congress in Minnesota

Former NBA forward Royce White announced his candidacy Tuesday for the Republican primary in Minnesota's 5th Congressional District, the seat currently held by Rep. Ilhan Omar:

"This district has been voting blue for a long time and I hope that I can shake that up," White said of his candidacy to the Star Tribune's Stephen Montemayor. "I hope that I can make people see that for a long time they voted against their own interests."

White will face off with Cicely Davis and Shukri Abdullahi Abdirahman, who have also declared themselves for the Republican primary, in order to move on to the general election.

Omar announced this month she plans to seek a third term in the fall. She was elected to Congress in 2018, claiming 78 percent of the votes in her district. She was re-elected in 2020 with 64.3 percent of the vote. Democrats have held the seat since 1963.

White, a native of Minneapolis, doesn't have any experience in public office. 

The 30-year-old began his college basketball career at Minnesota before transferring to Iowa State. A first-team All-Big 12 selection in 2011-12, he moved onto the NBA, where he was selected 16th overall by the Houston Rockets in the 2012 NBA draft.

White never played for the Rockets. As he was approaching his rookie season, he was candid about suffering from an anxiety disorder, which involved a fear of flying. In January 2013, he acknowledged he may never play in an NBA game and criticized the league's mental health protocols.

White finally made his NBA debut in March 2014 with the Sacramento Kings and made three appearances for the team. 

Following a two-year stint with the London Lightning of NBL Canada, White announced he planned to become an MMA fighter. He lost his debut fight to Daiqkwon Buckley by unanimous decision at Legacy Fighting Alliance 120 in December.