Royce White is a former professional basketball player turned right-wing political activist and podcaster running for the Republican nomination in the 2026 U.S. Senate election. Born in Minneapolis in 1991, he was the 2009 Minnesota Mr. Basketball and led Hopkins High School to an undefeated 31-0 season. He played college basketball for Iowa State, leading the team in every major statistical category in 2011-12, and was selected in the first round of the 2012 NBA draft by the Houston Rockets. His NBA career was brief, playing only three games for the Rockets and Sacramento Kings before leaving due to struggles with generalized anxiety disorder and a fear of flying. After retiring from professional basketball, White pursued mixed martial arts and later became involved in right-wing activism. In 2022, he unsuccessfully ran for the Republican nomination for Minnesota's 5th Congressional District. In 2024, he won the Minnesota GOP's endorsement and primary nomination for U.S. Senate but lost to incumbent Democrat Amy Klobuchar by approximately 16 points (56% to 40%). He announced in November 2024 that he would run again in 2026 for the now-open Senate seat.
Royce White was born in Minneapolis in 1991. He was an elite basketball player, named Minnesota Mr. Basketball in 2009 after leading Hopkins High School to an undefeated 31-0 season. He played college basketball for Iowa State and was selected in the first round of the 2012 NBA draft by the Houston Rockets. His professional basketball career was cut short due to struggles with generalized anxiety disorder and a fear of flying. He left the NBA and pursued mixed martial arts training. White has a history of mental health challenges and has faced court actions related to child support payments. He has four children. After his basketball career, White became involved in right-wing activism starting in 2021, brokered through connections with Steve Bannon. His political trajectory has included increasingly extreme rhetoric and positions, including antisemitic conspiracy theories and misogynistic statements. He gained prominence through political podcasting and right-wing media appearances.