Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

Quite possibly the most talked-about rookie, Royce White, made his D-League debut last night, as Houston Rockets affiliate Rio Grande Valley Vipers beat the Maine Red Claws. The Rockets decided to gamble on White, picking him with the 16th overall pick in last year’s draft. White’s mental health was always a concern, but his talent was also undeniable, as he led Iowa State in all five major categories (points, rebounds, assists, blocks, steals).

Prior to the game, White, who has been away from the game of basketball ever since pre-season, was expected to play five to 20 minutes in the game. He ended up coming off the bench for the Vipers, and got 18 minutes of action. After the game, the 21-year old forward tweeted about the game:

Had a BLAST w/@rgvvipers tonight… Hope the @houstonrockets get the W, LETS GO!#RedNation#AnxietyTroopersSupport @vday #1BillionRising

— Royce White (@Highway_30) February 13, 2013

White displayed some of his versatility with a balanced performance, as he scored seven points, grabbed eight rebounds, and dished out four assists on the game.

However, his debut also proved that he has his work cut out for him going forward. Priority number-one for White is to get his feet under him and to get into shape. It looks that he has put on a couple of pounds and he will most likely not see any NBA action until he is physically fit to handle 30 or more minutes per game.

As part of the agreement between the Rockets and White, he will be traveling to every possible game by bus. White put up a photo of his customized bus in one of his tweets last night. The Vipers will be taking on the Texas Legends tonight, as Royce White continues to work his way into the NBA.

Vytis is an NBA columnist for RantSports. Follow him on Twitter here: @VytisLasaitis