Willie Burton is a Gopher legend, and a Barn Fan favorite. Burton’s background, professional and personal life make him a great mentor for current and future Gophers. One person that Willie been a resource to is Royce White. Burton reached out to GopherHole.com to clear up many misconceptions including a false rumor about UCLA and discussing Royce’s interest in re-enrolling at the University of Minnesota, re-joining his teammates and playing for coach Tubby Smith.

White, a blue-chip recruit out of Hopkins High School, committed to the Gophers last year, but during an indefinite suspension stemming from legal issues, decided to leave the team and withdraw from classes mid-season. Since his departure from the program, rumors have linked him to a handful of other schools, as well as other scenarios involving European professional teams and possibly the NBA Draft. With the college basketball world entering final stretch of recruiting for the 2010-2011 season, White’s future with the Minnesota program, and whether or not the team will have a scholarship to provide him if he should elect to return next season, or if the team would even have him back if he desired to return, has become a matter of intense speculation.

GH: What kind of interactions have you had with Royce White?
WB: I’ve know Royce pretty much since he was born. I went to play basketball at the U, got to know Royce, and of course, Royce became a good basketball player himself. I tried to give him some advice about some things, and some things that have transpired. We talked on the phone a few times in the past year or so, prior to him coming to the University of Minnesota. I saw him again, he looked the same, just tall (laughs). The basis of one of the things that I wanted to talk about – because I spoke with Royce prior to speaking with you and I also spoke with his mom and his other family members – [is that] the door to the University of Minnesota is still open as far as Royce is concerned. Royce would like to explore that possibility. In the conversations that I’ve had with the coaches, specifically Coach Smith, they wanted to make sure that Royce wants to be at the University of Minnesota. That is one of their criteria for speaking with Royce, they wanted to change the individuals he was around, get things academically together, and for the situations he was involved in to pass, and focus on being a student, basketball player, and teammate. From the very beginning, the coaches are genuinely concerned about Royce, and have his best interest in mind. There have been in-depth conversations on ways to support Royce on the court and in his personal life, which is where Royce probably need the most support. Other schools have contacted Royce because, we have to remember, he is a good player at the end of the day.

GH: Which schools?
WB: I’m not going to go into that, because I don’t know specifically the majority of the schools. I don’t want to get things started up. I think it’s really important to know that Royce really is interested in sitting down and talking with Coach Smith. I think that’s one of the points I wanted to make. I’m hearing about UCLA and other schools, and I wanted to stop and make clear that Royce is interested in meeting with Tubby Smith. Yes, colleges have called him, yes they are interested, but he is interested in sitting down and talking to Coach Smith and the coaching staff at the University of Minnesota. When he left, he never closed that door . Royce has made a lot of strides and regained his focus he’s taken on a lot of responsibility for his actions. He’s accepted responsibility for them and he just wants to move forward. He’d like to move forward, number one with his life, and number two, with playing basketball.
GH: What kind of things has he done in these last couple months to show you some maturity and responsibility?
WB: Number one, I think he is starting to focus better on the type of information he’s receiving, and how to use it. He’s being more responsible with his actions. And I think it’s really important to note that at the end of the day, he just wants to move forward. He wants to have guidance in a direction that would help better himself. Some of the things individuals go through, they haven’t been through before, they haven’t learned. With some individuals, when instances happen, you can’t go back. When you make a mistake, that’s it, it’s over – and I hate to bring up the names of players that were at the University and other colleges that have done things and they can’t come back, They really couldn’t go to any school. That was something that was stuck on them. Royce has an opportunity to change that for himself.

GH: About a month ago, Royce and his grandfather (Frank White) were going to meet with Tubby Smith, do you know if that meeting ever occurred?
WB: No.

GH: Do you know what the delay was?
WB: Some things I’ll talk about, some things I won’t talk about. I’m not claiming Royce, I’m just someone who is here to answer questions that he has. I’m not his representative, I’m just someone that’s there for him when he has questions [that need an] answer, based on my experience.

GH: As a resource, have you advised him on a time frame in which he should set up a meeting with Coach Smith?
WB: If he wasn’t interested in coming back, there would be no need for Royce to talk to the University. I’ve been talking with Coach Vince [Taylor] now for a couple of months on the phone. This is all being done by Royce. Royce asked me to do this, this is what he asked, because he wants to sit down with them. I think it’s definitely interest in returning to the University of Minnesota. I didn’t twist his arm, I didn’t force him, this is what Royce’s wishes are.

GH: If Tubby Smith has left the door open, and Royce White is interested, it just seems like there shouldn’t be any more delay. Shouldn’t they meet so he can get back to school?
WB: There’s a lot that’s happened, the team went to the [NCAA] Tournament, there’s a lot of things going on, and you have to let things settle down for a while. Just let them settle down and you can approach the situation without so much going on.

GH: Hypothetically, if he came back, logistically, what kind of course load would he have to take this summer to become eligible to play next season?
WB: I don’t know that specifically. If he decided to come back to the University, that would be between Royce, the coaches and the academic advisor.

GH: Do you think realistically, he’d be able to play next year if he got his academics in order?
WB: I’m pretty sure.

GH: What kind of things has he been working on in the past couple months – do you know his workout routine or how much he’s been in the gym?
WB: He hasn’t really been in the gym. I think that will come right back to him when he gets back in shape. What he’s been focusing on right now is doing some positive things. He loves music. He’s really good, now I’m not just saying he’s okay, he’s really good at music, really good. He’s been using that as an activity to keep his mind, and keep his body, doing something positive and creative. He hasn’t been involved in anything. He’s just been keeping himself together, being an 18 year old that’s responsible.

GH: Is there anything else that you would like to clear up?
WB: My message here is that there’s interest in Royce from my conversations with the coaching staff. They want Royce to do some things and I think it’s about time to get things started, to get it started and see where we end up because Royce is definitely interested. I’m pretty sure that Tubby said the door is left open for Royce and that enough time has gone by that it’s time to get the process started.

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