Former NBA player Royce White wins GOP Senate primary

Former NBA player Royce White emerged victorious in the Republican senate primary race in Minnesota, defeating Navy veteran Joe Fraser on Tuesday. White's triumph sets the stage for a face-off against incumbent Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar in the forthcoming election scheduled for November 5.

Political Aspirations and Controversies

This isn't White's first venture into the political arena. In 2022, he attempted to oppose Democratic Congresswoman Ilhan Omar, but faced defeat in the Republican primary. Since then, White has found himself embroiled in controversies, facing backlash for making derogatory remarks about women, Jewish people, and the LGBT community. Additionally, he has been accused of promoting conspiracy theories and misappropriating campaign funds.

Born in Minneapolis in 1991, Chaney exhibited his basketball prowess early on, earning the title of Mr. Basketball in Minnesota in 2009. He was a promising prospect, selected as the 16th overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft by the Houston Rockets. However, his rookie season was marred by personal struggles, including a fear of flying and mental health issues, which led to a contentious relationship with the team. As a result, White never had an opportunity to showcase his skills with the Rockets, aside from a brief stint with their G League affiliate. Subsequently, he was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers, but was waived before making an appearance with the team. Despite signing multiple 10-day contracts with the Sacramento Kings, White's NBA career was limited to three games, where he failed to make a statistical impact beyond a missed shot and two fouls.

Despite the setbacks in his NBA career, White continued to pursue his basketball aspirations. He found success in the Canadian NBL, where he was named MVP in 2017, and also participated in the BIG3 league. In a surprising turn, he ventured into professional MMA, competing in one fight in 2021, albeit suffering a defeat.