Royce White: "I'm done with college hoops..."

[Coach1310]

Gophers White: "I'm leaving the team"

Prized recruit Royce White says he's leaving the Minnesota basketball team because of his legal troubles and the stress they are causing his family and the program.

White makes the announcement in a video posted on YouTube early Thursday called, "Royce White - Last Interview."

White is currently indefinitely suspended from the team while police investigate the theft of a laptop computer from a dorm room in November. White says he's innocent.

However, he says the investigation has been stressful for his family and the program, so he's quitting. He says he has no plans to transfer to another school.

The 6-8, 250-pound forward was Minnesota's top recruit last season. He hasn't been practicing with the team while suspended.

A university spokesman says the team had no comment.

I can't say that I am completely surprised, but its kind of a bummer. Another wasted scholarship..... Hopefully he gets life figured out...

[PierBridge]

Probably best for all partys. He'll end up going JUCO and if all goes well a D1 team there after.

[daylate]

We may see him after a year or two of pro ball in europe.

[MNBEEF]

What an [PoorWordUsage]! He would have been GOD on campus, instead he's a drop out thug. What a waste. Hope he gets some help, and grows up a bit in the process

[zepman]

IMO, he'll go to Europe or somewhere he can get paid to play. I just don't see him going the JUCO route. What a complete waste.

[AlwysFshn]

Ouch! Not what the program needs. Probably better that he bails now rather than later.

[fishersofmen]

This guy is a total bone head......

[so haaad]

Box...

[Snag]

My guess would be that he was also flunking out of school, so why not say your leaving before more bad press comes out.

[jeffreyd]

he could come and play for ASU, however when the NCAA gets done with them over the baseball teams activities, there wont be any sports here for a long time.

[Scott M]

He had registered for spring classes, so if it was academics related, I think we would have heard by now...but I agree with most on here, there is more to the story than what the general public is hearing.

[Coach1310]

I just hope he is able to get straightened out.... so much ability I would hate to see it go to waste. Hopefully someone close to him can help him turn things around... bummer for the Gophers, they could use some of that pure athleticism....

[mrklean]

what a waste, interesting to see where he will go, best of luck hopefully he gets his head on straight while he still has potential to go somewhere

[solbes]

I heard he was back practicing with the team? Sounded like Tubby will not re-instate him to playing status until his legal troubles are resolved. He says he's done on Youtube, but apparently this is not the case.

[Brade4]

Solbes, I heard the same thing. Went to the Gopher site and he is still on the roster. Only time will tell. Who knows?

[thatoneguy]

"My guess would be that he was also flunking out of school, so why not say your leaving before more bad press comes out."

And you base that guess on...what exactly?

[SkunkedAgain]

...probably based upon Al Nolen

[mrklean]

i heard on 93X also he was practicing with the team but not apart of it. Maybe hes gonna play some Euro ball haha

[Snag]

I was wrong about him flunking out of school. You can't blame me, you gotta be dumb to shop lift and then assault a security guard when you basically are getting a free education and have the chance to rule the campus and state of MN if you play up to the hype. I'm pretty sure they would have closed the case, but they think either he stole the laptop of knows who did it and won't give up the information.

I would like to see him on the court. They will miss Nolen's d, but they have too many guards as it is. This should help develop Joseph and the freshman.

[CJH]

Nolen is a great perimeter defensive player, but not good on offense. The guy guarding him always sags, making it hard to feed the post and drive. That also allows Hoffarber's man to just shadow him and not worry about anybody else. Can't do that with Joseph.

Wish the White thing would just get resolved!! Its really annoying having Royce and Mwbawke out there in no man's land, without any idea what's going on.

[CJH]

UPDATE:

U's White charged with 3 misdemeanors

By Marcus R. Fuller

[email protected]

Updated: 01/23/2010 12:33:28 AM CST

University of Minnesota freshman basketball player Royce White was charged with three counts of misdemeanor trespass Friday by the Minneapolis city attorney's office.

White, allowed to return to practice with the Gophers this week despite remaining on indefinite suspension, was the suspect in a stolen laptop case on campus but was not charged with theft.

The former Hopkins High School star faces a maximum penalty of 90 days in jail and a $1,000 fine for each count. A trial date is to be set after a Feb. 1 arraignment. White's attorney, F. Clayton Tyler, said he was encouraged his client faces only minor charges.

"It's substantially less than what they originally thought it was going to be," Tyler said. "Kids at school go to people's rooms and find out where parties are. Every one of them could be charged for trespass. But the prosecutor used her discretion to charge him, so we'll handle it from there."

It is the second time this season White will face misdemeanor charges. The 6-foot-8 forward pleaded guilty to shoplifting and fifth-degree assault for an Oct. 13 incident at Macy's at the Mall of America.

White told the Pioneer Press two weeks ago that it "was an [PoorWordUsage] thing to do," and "I was only supposed to be suspended two exhibition games for it."

On Nov. 7, the night the laptop was stolen at Territorial Hall, White was among a group of males identified by witnesses as entering dorm rooms without permission, according to a complaint filed in

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Hennepin County District Court.

White, who never has lived in Territorial Hall, told University Police investigators that he was in the dormitory on the date of the incident. White said he goes there to introduce himself and meet people, according to the complaint.

One witness told police that she was in her dorm room when a group of males entered at 8 p.m. without knocking and closed the door. One of the males said, "Hey, I'm Royce. Do you know who I am?" The witness asked them to leave, according to the complaint. A friend of that witness told police she noticed the same group of males trying other door handles in the dormitory hallway that night.

Another witness said she and her roommate were in their dorm room that night when two people entered, according to the complaint, one she immediately recognized as White. She said White asked what was going on and inquired about a party before eventually realizing he wasn't welcome and left.

Another witness told police that she also was with her roommate that night when White stepped into their room and asked, "Hey, guys, what are you doing?" The witness said she recognized White, according to the complaint, because three weeks earlier he had introduced himself, walked into her room and sat on her futon. She then asked him to leave, according to the complaint.

White has not played for the Gophers this season while under suspension. This week, Gophers coach Tubby Smith allowed him to return to practice because he was handling himself well and succeeding in school.

Smith said White would not play today against Michigan State. Minnesota athletics director Joel Maturi confirmed White's status would not change "immediately."

Gophers junior Trevor Mbakwe is suspended from playing until his felony battery case is resolved in a satisfactory manner after a trial next month. But Maturi said he had to look at White's situation differently because White faces misdemeanor charges — and not theft charges.

"They're completely different," Maturi said. "But we will have to decide what is the best thing for our basketball program, and what the best thing is for Royce White."

[Snag]

The police and district attorney should be ashamed, trumped up bunko charge cause they couldn't pin the theft on him. Waiting this long for trespassing charges. I actually feel a little sorry for Mr. White on this one. Waste of taxpayer money to prosecute this.

[CJH]

I agree. That's a pretty long suspension for walking around a dorm. ( I used to do that to meet girls all the time!!!!!)

Don't they have better things to do? Shoddy all the way around.

[Dotch]

I guess. Boy, good thing they didn't catch me putting that black shoe polish on the toilet seats in the women's dorm or I'd still be in jail!

[rayguy]

Don't do the crime if you can't do the time!