Former NBA player Royce White wins Republican nomination for Senate seat in Minnesota

Former NBA player Royce White will face incumbent senator Amy Klobuchar after winning the Republican nomination on Tuesday, the Associated Press confirmed.

With 90% of votes in, White led with 38.7% of the vote, well ahead of top challenger Joe Fraser at 29.3%. Klobuchar won her own primary with more than 90% of the vote.

The race in the general election will be seen as one of the safest seats for Democrats in the country, if the turnout numbers in the primary are any indication. Despite Klobuchar running with no serious challengers, the Democrats saw approximately 50% higher turnout than the Republicans in their primary.

White’s own actions make him a divisive candidate at best. He has a history of extreme rhetoric — such as antisemitic conspiracy theories and calling women “too mouthy,” as well as outright slurs — and made headlines earlier this year when it was revealed he used campaign funds from a failed 2022 Congressional bid at a full-nude strip club and limo services. He also has a history of court actions over missed child support payments.

Despite that baggage, White received the Minnesota Republican Party’s endorsement in May. He also holds a set of far-right allies such as former Donald Trump strategist Steve Bannon, MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell and InfoWars host Alex Jones. Fraser had the support of more moderate Republican voices, but the fact that neither man cleared 40% in the race might indicate voters didn’t see them as compelling options.

Before all of this, White was a mercurial presence in the basketball world. He was a legitimately good player at Iowa State after transferring from Minnesota (where he was suspended over a shoplifting incident at the Mall of America) and joined the Houston Rockets as the No. 16 overall pick of the 2012 NBA Draft.

His NBA career quickly went awry though. He didn’t play a minute for the Rockets, while clashing with the team over accommodations for his anxiety and fear of flying. He was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers a year after he was drafted, waived before the season and landed with the Sacramento Kings on a 10-day contract.

White’s time on an NBA court consisted of nine minutes across three games for the 2013-14 Kings. He would see more success in other leagues, such as NBL Canada and Big3. There was also an attempt at an MMA career at one point.

The 33-year-old used his experience in the NBA to become an advocate for increased mental health support, then drew further attention by leading several protests in Minnesota after the murder of George Floyd.

White isn’t the only athlete on the ballot for the Senate this year, as former Los Angeles Dodgers star is the Republican nominee in California against Adam Schiff. Like White, he faces very long odds.