Minnesota standout White signs with Iowa St.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Royce White needed a second chance and Iowa State coach Fred Hoiberg needed talent.

If White can avoid the trouble that plagued him during a short stint at Minnesota, he and the Cyclones could get what they’ve been looking for. The skilled power forward who left Minnesota under a cloud agreed Monday to play at Iowa State.

“He’s a very engaging kid, a very smart kid, and he fully admits to making a mistake,” Hoiberg said. “Everybody involved with it, they all thought that he was genuine about it and that he deserved another chance. We’re excited to have him on board.”

White, a 6-foot-8, 250-pound native of Minneapolis, was Minnesota’s Mr. Basketball in 2009. He signed with Minnesota but never played a game for the hometown Golden Gophers.

White was suspended last fall after an incident at the Mall of America and later pleaded guilty to theft and disorderly conduct. White left Minnesota in February after being charged with trespassing in connection to an alleged theft of a laptop computer from a university dorm.

White’s talent has never been questioned. He was ranked the 19th-best player in the country in the class of 2009 by Rivals.com and Scout.com, and was one of 20 players selected for the Jordan Brand Classic.

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