Royce White, the state's reigning Mr. Basketball and the top recruit in Tubby Smith's freshman class, was arrested Oct. 13 for shoplifting and fifth-degree assault at Macy's in the Mall of America, according to police reports obtained Tuesday by the Star Tribune.
According to a police report, a Macy's security officer confronted White, who was with three other males, and tried to handcuff the 6-8, 240-pound power forward after he allegedly attempted to steal about $100 worth of merchandise. The police report said White pushed the security guard "down to the ground two times." Bloomington officers eventually arrived and arrested White, who was released with citations.
Gophers men's basketball coach Tubby Smith said Tuesday that White has been suspended indefinitely for an unspecified violation of team rules, but did not elaborate on the reasons for the action. The coach said senior guard Devron Bostick is also suspended indefinitely for rules violations.
News of White's arrest was the apex in a tumultuous two-day span of highly publicized legal problems within the two most visible Gophers athletic programs.
Athletic director Joel Maturi announced Monday morning that Trevor Mbakwe, a 6-8, 240-pound power forward on the basketball team, will not be allowed to play until his legal case, stemming from an April felony assault charge in Miami, is resolved.
Michael Carter, a top freshman on Minnesota's football team, was arrested early Monday morning near campus for underage drinking and obstruction of justice. The football team in the past month also had another player arrested, linebacker Gary Tinsley, and two-game suspensions for Cedric McKinley and Tim Dandridge for violations of team rules.
"It seems to snowball," Maturi said. "When you have so many instances at one time, you wonder, what's going on at the asylum? It's frustrating for all of us. It's not what we want to deal with. It is part of the job. ... Hopefully, the young men and women that made some mistakes will learn from them and not make them in the future, and those that continue to violate what our expectations are of them won't be part of the program -- and maybe, not part of the school and not be on scholarship. That's the tough love that eventually happens and it's happened here before. None of us relish that be the case, but those are the processes that we follow."
White was also issued a one-year trespass notice by security officials at the Mall of America, according to the police report. Bloomington police Cmdr. Jim Ryan said people who commit the crimes that White has been accused of don't usually serve jail time.