Who is Royce White? Meet the Ex-NBA Player Who Is Making Waves in the GOP with "Smash-Mouth, Nationalist Populism"

Royce White is in the news for his political endeavors, as he attempts to win the Republican nomination for the US Senate from Minnesota. The 33-year-old has enjoyed a remarkable transformation from professional basketball to full-time politics.

He has of late been in the news for what has been described as an aggressive, almost ‘smash-mouth’ approach to his opponents.

White’s political career began back in 2022 when he made a bid to join the US House of Representatives as a far-right populist. He ended up losing but has in recent months enjoyed support from prominent celebrities such as Steve Bannon, which has led to him becoming the Minnesota Republican Party’s US Senate representative.

The news reportedly comes as a surprise due to the state’s traditionally democratic leanings, which may not fall in line with the kind of ‘nationalist populism’ that he has grown famous for. Regardless, the term ‘smash-mouth, nationalist populism’ is self-professed, as he uses the term to describe his general rhetoric when it comes to politics.

Furthermore, Royce White is reportedly acquainted with noted conspiracy theorist Alex Jones.

Regardless, before he started a political career, White was a bona fide NBA professional, who has previously also played for the Sacramento Kings.

Who is Royce White?

Born on April 10, 1991, the Minneapolis native initially made a name for himself in college basketball. He was an Iowa State superstar who was part of the 2012 NBA draft and was selected 16th overall by the Houston Rockets.

However, a quick trade meant that he ended up playing a total of three games for the Kings, after which White embarked on a career with NBA G League outfit the Reno Bighorns.

White was Minnesota’s Mr. Basketball in 2009 and left the Hopkins High School with a 31-0 record and a state championship. While the player was never able to reach the same kind of heights in the NBA, he was also known to have struggled with a Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD).

Royce White’s professional career then came to a conclusion after another stint with Canadian professional team the London Lightning, a team which he joined in 2016. In 2018, White retired from professional basketball and has since embarked on a political journey that continues to keep him in the headlines.