Since being blackballed from the NBA, Royce White had gone under the radar, until now. With the opportunity to reinvent himself, he is taking his beginning steps to begin his MMA career. In this article, we will be looking into Royce White and look at whether or not he will be successful in his next venture and how sports bettors can take advantage of that possibility.
Royce White And His Time In The NBA
Since being 16th pick in the 2012 NBA draft superstar Royce White has had a turbulent time in the sport. Since being diagnosed with Anxiety Disorder as a teen Royce White has had a rough time with a highly publicised fear of flying. This was a problem for the NBA that features a number of away games.
However, despite this highly publicised fear, many look up to White for his work within the NBA on the expansion of their mental health program. Though there are only little changes being made at this time, this is a positive impact that many praise him for. However, with obstacles for NBA officials on these new policies and no exemptions for his fear of flying the NBA has been tough on the player who has mostly taken part ion Canadian ball and D league games. Although, at the age of 28 and a huge skill set, this could be the sign of a promising career for the athlete.
The Move From The NBA To MMA
As a pro baller, he has been outspoken for his love of MMA but in a recent move, he has decided to try his hand at the sport. Though there are no matchups lined up at this time, the NBA star is currently training at a gym in Minnesota. Though this may seem like a huge change, the superstar is not the first to make the switch and certainly won’t be the last. Training under the guidance of Greg Nelson, there are many wondering just how well he will do in the world of MMA compared to his basketball career. However with many bookies seeing promise in the former NBA star, many are heading to MMA betting sites to cash in on a strong start to Whites MMA career.
This 6ft 8″ man-mountain may not look like your typical MMA fighter, however, he is surprisingly agile and with the right training regime could become one of the best newcomers to the sport. However, since being blackballed from the NBA many fans are wondering just how successful his MMA career will be.
Other Stars That Have Made The Switch
In addition to White making his MMA Debut there are a number of other sporting superstars that have either made their debut or have begun training. With wrestling pros Brock Lesner and CM Punk both entering the octagon as well as the rumours of Mayweather making his way into the octagon, this is a sport that is proving highly popular.
However, when it comes to boxing or basketball, it is all about quick movements, however, MMA is a highly defensive sport, this therefore means that training will be needed to correct posture and train these superstars to keep their legs and core protected from oncoming attack. However, the transition from pro wrestling to MMA is significantly easier as the skill set is broader. With this in mind, there are many wondering just how successful White will be in his quest to come out on top in the octagon.
Royce White’s Future In The MMA
As the superstar begins his training, it is looking promising. With many hours in the gym as well as one of the best trainers in the sport it looks as though he could be taking a step in the right direction. When asked by Sports Illustrated what his motivation was for joining the sport, the superstar had this to say:
“As a basketball player, I watched the deterioration of the competitive ethos, the erosion of the value of competition. The entertainment and the dollars subsumed competition on so many levels.”
This comes after many believe the need to sell tickets to home and away games overtakes the raw competitiveness that was once felt in the league.
With this in mind, fans of the superstar are ready and waiting to hear more about his major breakthrough into MMA, but will he have a controversial start the same as he did in the NBA? Only time will tell. Place your bets!