Royce White takes aim at Kaepernick in LeBron comparison

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Royce White takes aim at Kaepernick in LeBron comparison

Colin Kaepernick posing for the camera at an event. — Source: lev radin/Shutterstock.com

Andy Mailhot · Gameday Chatter

Thu, Oct 8, 2026 ·

6 min read

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American civil rights activist and former football quarterback Colin Kaepernick

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Royce White criticizes Colin Kaepernick

Royce White, a former NBA first-round pick and former Minnesota U.S. Senate candidate, criticized Colin Kaepernick during a 2026 interview with Brandon Robinson. White questioned the attention Kaepernick received nearly 10 years after his final NFL season.

White argued he had a better chance of returning to the NBA at age 35 than Kaepernick had of becoming an NFL starting quarterback. He also described 41-year-old LeBron James as an anomaly.

Official shield logo of the National Football League (NFL) alongside a silhouette of the Vince Lombardi Trophy

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Royce White questions an NFL return

Royce White argued that Kaepernick was unlikely to return to the NFL as a starting quarterback. Kaepernick has not appeared in an NFL game since Jan. 1, 2017, when San Francisco played the Seattle Seahawks.

Kaepernick said in September 2026 that he continued training for a possible football opportunity. At age 38, he described strength, speed, and position work as part of the football training routine he maintained regularly at the time.

Former football quarterback Colin Kaepernick at an event. — Former football quarterback Colin Kaepernick at an event

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Royce White compares his own chances

Royce White compared Kaepernick's possible NFL return with his own chances of playing professional basketball again. White argued that he had a better chance of returning to the NBA at age 35 than Kaepernick did.

White's comparison was his own assessment rather than evidence of an NBA offer. His NBA career consists of 3 regular-season appearances, all with the Sacramento Kings in 2013-14.

LeBron James standing on the court in his yellow Lakers jersey during a basketball game.

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LeBron James becomes White's exception

White argued he had a better chance of returning to the NBA at age 35 than Kaepernick had of becoming an NFL starting quarterback. He also described 41-year-old LeBron James as an anomaly.

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Royce White challenges Kaepernick's activism

Royce White criticized the way Kaepernick's activism evolved after his 2016 national anthem protest. White questioned Kaepernick's continued connection to NFL discussions despite the former quarterback having remained outside the league for nearly a decade.

White also acknowledged that Kaepernick had made sacrifices connected with his activism. In a follow-up interview, White invited Kaepernick to debate political issues publicly, framing the proposed discussion around their differing views as former professional athletes.

Colin Kaepernick at Country Music Awards.

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Colin Kaepernick began protesting in 2016

Colin Kaepernick first sat during the national anthem before a San Francisco 49ers preseason game on Aug. 14, 2016. His protest gained widespread attention after the Aug. 26 game against the Green Bay Packers.

Kaepernick said he was protesting racial oppression and the treatment of Black people and other people of color in the United States. He changed from sitting to kneeling before San Francisco's Sept. 1 preseason game.

Spectators use their phones to record a protest.

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Royce White once praised Kaepernick

Royce White's 2026 criticism contrasts with comments he made about Kaepernick in 2020. White called Kaepernick's protest prophetic while discussing demonstrations he helped organize after George Floyd's killing in Minneapolis that year.

White later said he still considered Kaepernick's original protest significant but disagreed with what followed. His newer criticism focuses on Kaepernick's later activism rather than rejecting the significance White previously assigned to the original protest.

Black Lives Matter demonstrators gathered during a protest

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Royce White led Minneapolis demonstrations

Royce White helped organize demonstrations in Minneapolis after George Floyd's killing in May 2020. The Washington Post reported that one march began with roughly 200 people and grew to thousands as participants moved through Minneapolis.

White-led demonstrators took a knee during the protests, a gesture associated with Kaepernick's national anthem demonstration. White later described Kaepernick's original protest as prophetic when discussing his own involvement in Minneapolis that year.

Fun fact: Royce White earned Big 12 Newcomer of the Year honors during the 2011–12 season after leading Iowa State University in all 5 major statistical categories.

Houston Rockets basketball club logo

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Royce White had a brief NBA career

Royce White entered the NBA when the Houston Rockets selected him with the 16th overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft. The 6-foot-8 forward was drafted after playing one season at Iowa State.

White never appeared in a regular-season game for Houston. He later appeared in 3 regular-season games for the Sacramento Kings during the 2013-14 season, the only NBA appearances of his career.

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Royce White continued playing elsewhere

Royce White continued playing professionally outside the NBA after his brief stint with the Sacramento Kings. He was named NBL Canada MVP in 2017 while playing for the London Lightning, who also won the league championship that season.

White later joined the BIG3 and was selected first overall in the league's 2019 draft. He played for Enemies and continued competing in the 3-on-3 basketball league after his traditional professional career ended.

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Royce White moved into politics

Royce White became Minnesota's Republican nominee for the U.S. Senate in 2024. He faced Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar in the Nov. 5 general election and lost the statewide race to the incumbent.

Minnesota results show Klobuchar received 56.20% of the vote and White received 40.50%. Klobuchar recorded 1,792,441 votes, while White received 1,291,712, securing a Senate term for the Democratic incumbent.

House Chamber inside the Minnesota State Capitol

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Royce White ran again in 2026

Royce White sought Minnesota's Republican U.S. Senate nomination again in 2026. Minnesota election records show that he filed for the office on June 2 and competed in the Republican primary held on Aug. 11.

White received 45,374 votes, or 11.15%, and did not win the nomination. Michele Tafoya finished first with 211,813 votes and 52.07%, according to Minnesota's official 2026 Republican primary results statewide today.

Kaepernick's NFL Combine comparison continues to draw attention years after the comments first surfaced. Explore why Colin Kaepernick was criticized over the NFL Combine slavery comparison and what fueled the reaction to his remarks.

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Royce White proposes a public debate

Royce White invited Colin Kaepernick to debate political issues publicly during his 2026 interview with Brandon Robinson. White framed the proposed discussion around their differing political views and their experiences as former professional athletes publicly.

Kaepernick remained outside the NFL as of October 2026, while continuing to publicly discuss his 2016 protest and activism. White's invitation followed his criticism of Kaepernick's post-NFL activism during the same interview.

Kaepernick's comments have once again put his anthem protest and its lasting impact in focus. Explore why Colin Kaepernick reignited the anthem debate with a blunt remark and what brought the issue back into discussion.

Curious what you think about Royce White's criticism of Colin Kaepernick and his comparison with LeBron James? Share your thoughts in the comments on whether you agree with his argument.

This slideshow was made with AI assistance and human editing.

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