Royce White hedges on return to the University of Minnesota

Once thought to be the Gophers basketball team's most promising recruit, controversy surrounding White's legal woes has kept him from a single second of regulation play.

White first announced he would leave the team last December in a series of introspective monologues posted to YouTube. He made the same claim earlier this month when his attorney failed to make a deal with prosecutors on trespassing charges White faced for sauntering into University dorm rooms uninvited.

This time, White actually followed through. But after pleading guilty to one count of trespassing yesterday, White told reporters he would consider coming back if the circumstances were right.

From the Star Tribune:

White said he might consider re-enrolling at the university and rejoining the program in the future under "the perfect conditions." He didn't elaborate.

Last week, Gophers coach Tubby Smith told reporters he'd be willing to talk to White, who recently withdrew from school, about coming back next season if he straightened out his life away from the basketball court. White said he expects to speak with Smith "at some point."

White was originally charged with three counts of trespassing, but two were dropped. He was sentenced to 50 hours of community service.