8 Houston Rockets that never played a single minute

3. Royce White

Following the 2012 NBA Draft, the Houston Rockets appeared to be one of the marquee up-and-coming teams in the league. The Rockets had just wrapped up their first season with James Harden, which saw them reach the postseason in the crowded Western Conference, and made three selections in the first-round of the draft.

One of which was Royce White, who was viewed as an offensive engine and lottery-level talent, after leading Iowa State in every major statistical category. White drew comparisons to LeBron James, due ot his ability to play the point forward position.

The 6-foot-8 forward had great mobility and fluidity and was utilized as Iowa State’s primary facilitator, as he possessed great instincts as a passer. White averaged 13.4 points, 9.3 rebounds, 5 assists, and 53.4 percent from the field in his lone season in Ames and managed to fall to the Rockets at pick 16.

White suffered from Generalized Anxiety Disorder, which was mainly triggered by a fear of flying. White’s flight phobia was so bad that it caused panic attacks upon arriving to airports throughout his high school career.

White and the Rockets reached an agreement that he would travel by bus to away games, which wasn’t upheld by White. The Rockets announced that they would begin fining him for each day away from the team, as they had arranged therapist visits for him that he failed to attend.

White was eventually moved at the end of the 2012-13 season, as the Rockets dealt him to the Philadelphia 76ers in the offseason, who later released him.