Rockets rookie Royce White slated to return to D-League team after leaving it without permission
After leaving the NBA's Development League Rio Grande Valley Vipers without permission last week, Houston Rockets first-round pick Royce White will return to the team, sources told Yahoo! Sports.
White, who has an anxiety disorder, announced a team doctor told him it would be healthier to leave the Vipers and begin preparing for next season, but multiple sources told Yahoo! Sports that no organizational permission had been granted to White.
At the risk of earning his second suspension without pay this season, White planned to be in uniform for the Vipers game Tuesday night against Tulsa.
The No. 16 overall pick in the 2012 NBA draft, White has clashed with the Rockets over his inability to constantly make himself available for practices, workouts and team commitments. After a three-week suspension in January, White finally agreed to the team's plan to send him to the D-League. Despite weighing nearly 300 pounds, White averaged 9.6 points and 5.6 rebounds in 12 games for Rio Grande.
Part of White's anxiety disorder centers on plane travel, and White had taken two long bus trips as part of Rio Grande's road schedule.
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