Howard Porter

Who was Howard Porter?

Howard Porter was an American professional basketball player. At 6'8" and 220 pounds, he played as a forward and a center.

Porter was born in Stuart, Florida, and attended Booker High School in Sarasota, Florida. The highlight of his high school career occurred in 1967, when he led Booker to the Florida Interscholastic Athletic Association Class A State Basketball Championship. Porter then played collegiately at Villanova University, where he was a three-time All-America selection. He took Villanova to the 1971 NCAA Championship Game, in which Villanova lost to UCLA 68-62. Porter was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player after scoring 25 points in the final game. However, he was later ruled ineligible for the honor because he had signed a professional contract with the Pittsburgh Condors of the American Basketball Association during the middle of his senior year. To the present day, the MOP for the 1971 Final Four is listed as "*Vacated".

Porter never played for the Condors, instead joining the NBA's Chicago Bulls in 1971. He played seven seasons in the NBA as a member of the Bulls, New York Knicks, Detroit Pistons, and New Jersey Nets. His finest professional season occurred in 1976-77, when he averaged 13.2 points and 5.9 rebounds for the Pistons.