Royce White at Knicks mini-camp
- Thread starter Bret44
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Guy just doesn't get the natural order of things. Become a valuable player, use soap box.
What is sad is Royce has never seen that he has done more harm than good for people suffering from mental illness. He should be focusing his efforts on helping himself and others with anxiety cope with the world, rather than expecting the world to bend over backwards for them.
After reading that, what team would want to deal with that? Unless you're getting a LeBron or Durant type talent it's just not worth dealing with that head ache.
I could only make it through about half of that article. He just sounds like another young person who is entitled to whatever they want. The sad thing is I think he doesn't even know what he really wants but the NBA is just not going to happen with that attitude.
I don't see what is so bad with that article. It's far more rational and level-headed than anything I was reading 3 years ago. It actually brings a sense of sanity to the rants that were commonplace.
I believe his OCD prevented him from getting past the issues and led to a fixation on them. He couldn't focus on anything else until he was at peace with that one thing first.
Royce's most effective moments of mental health advocacy were dominating on the floor in an Iowa State uniform. Not on Twitter.
Everybody is certainly entitled to their own opinion, but I did not get that impression at all after I read the article.
Having clear and consistent policies in place for legitimate mental health issues is bending over backwards? I think the problem is people having no empathy when it comes to mental illness. Too many people either just chalk it up to faking and being dramatic or flat out don't care what other people are really dealing with. Would be nice if they could just suck it up and cope with the world but it doesn't work that way.
The thing that drives me nuts with Royce is how vague he is with his statements. Things like "they need clear and consistent policies to help players with mental illnesses" but never explains what those policies should be. He also acknowledges that mental illness is different for everbody, so how the hell is the NBA supposed to set a "consistent" policy for that?
I hated a Twitter reponse he had a few weeks ago to someone posting players that were picked ahead of Draymond Green (Royce was one). It was bashing Royce for being a bust and he replied with "should have been picked higher, my talent level was worthy of a higher pick." it's like he has no grasp that by being more concerned with forcing the NBA to accomodate him, he's proving all the teams were correct for passing on him because he's just not worth the trouble.
Royce doesn't actually ever say, or probably know, what he wants though. He just keeps saying protocols, he wants the NBA to have consistent protocols about mental health but he also wants those protocols tailored exactly to his situation.
Definitely easier said than done when it comes to setting protocol for mental health. Such a wide range of issues that have to be dealt with on an individual basis. My issue is I don't feel there is enough effort across the board to help people suffering with mental illness. Not just an NBA problem by any means and Royce obviously could handle his situation better but it is what it is. Would really love to see him play ball again but won't hold it against him or feel slighted if he never does. Guy has to do what makes him happy in life whatever that that may be.
I think that's a fair point, but at the same time mental health issues and the people dealing with said mental health issues are not a dime a dozen type of group. What works for one person with issues is not automatically going to work with a different person.
Royce is only specific about the one persons circumstances he can comment on, his own. You can't have specific protocols for something as complicated and varying as mental health, each case needs to be evaluated on its own. I think Royce's point is that with no policy at all, the league and teams can/cant find loopholes when they prefer.
The thing I don't like about this is, its making the NBA out to be the only organization with these issues. Mental Health awareness is much bigger than an NBA (or Royce White) issue. The miniscule attention Royce's situation gets from the media speaks volumes about our societies avoidance of this topic. Imagine if the NBA were discriminating against a player due to his religion/ethnicity/sexual orientation. This would be headline news across the country.
The thing I don't like about this is, its making the NBA out to be the only organization with these issues. Mental Health awareness is much bigger than an NBA (or Royce White) issue. The miniscule attention Royce's situation gets from the media speaks volumes about our societies avoidance of this topic. Imagine if the NBA were discriminating against a player due to his religion/ethnicity/sexual orientation. This would be headline news across the country.
A lot of this. It's kind of like drug/alcohol addiction and the "well why don't you just stop" crowd. I mean if you don't want to help people or see people get help then addiction/mental illness is going to be a hard sell, and that's how a lot of people feel. Donald Trump is running a presidential campaign on this platform. Basically it's "everyone only cares about other people besides me because everyone out there just whines and cries and has "mental illnesses" and I don't like, it's not fair. Well I think I'm gonna go out there and get myself an addiction or mental illness then I deserve to to whine and cry and have a "mental illness because I'm white, male, and pay taxes." Just complete contradictions/hypocrisy.
As someone who has struggled most of their life with panic disorder, I have no empathy for Royce. Royce has always gone against the grain and it always comes back to bite him. One thing I have learned in life is that if you believe you are a victim, you will always be a victim. Royce is just that. It's just like poker, I can be dealt 2 7 off suit and still win by how I play it. Life is the same way. Royce may think that he is helping the cause of everyone with mental health, but he's not. He has to learn to help himself and stop playing the victim.