Howard Porter (basketball)

Howard Porter (August 31, 1948 – May 26, 2007) was an American professional basketball player. At 6'8" and 220 pounds, he played as a forward and a center.

Howard Porter
Porter in 1972
Personal information
Born(1948-08-31)August 31, 1948
Stuart, Florida
DiedMay 26, 2007(2007-05-26) (aged 58)
Minneapolis, Minnesota
NationalityAmerican
Listed height6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
Listed weight220 lb (100 kg)
Career information
High schoolBooker (Sarasota, Florida)
CollegeVillanova (1968–1971)
NBA draft1971 / Round: 2 / Pick: 32nd overall
Selected by the Chicago Bulls
Playing career1971–1978
PositionPower forward / Center
Number54
Career history
1971–1974Chicago Bulls
1974New York Knicks
1974–1977Detroit Pistons
1977–1978New York Nets
Career highlights and awards
*Selection later vacated
Career NBA statistics
Points4,215 (9.2 ppg)
Rebounds1,872 (4.1 rpg)
Blocks212 (0.6 bpg)
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com

Early life

Porter was born in Stuart, Florida. While in the 8th grade, he played on the varsity team at Stuart Training School, the high school for Martin County blacks.[1] He 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.

College career

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.[2] To the present day, the MOP for the 1971 Final Four is listed as "*Vacated".

Professional career

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.[3] During his time playing for the Pistons, he was nicknamed "Geezer" for his slow, deliberate stye of play and his long beard. He became a fan favorite at the Pistons then-home, Cobo Arena.

2007 disappearance and murder

Howard Porter, who was employed as a county probation officer, disappeared on May 18, 2007. He was found severely beaten in a Minneapolis, Minnesota alley in the early morning hours of May 19 and died on May 26 of injuries sustained during the assault.[4]

Local police arrested a 33-year-old woman named Tanya Washington in connection with the murder.[5] Washington was later released by police, stating that there was not enough evidence to file charges against her.[6] On September 4, police announced that they had arrested and charged Rashad Arthur Raleigh with Porter's murder.[7] Raleigh is now serving a life sentence for the crime.[8]

Howard Porter is interred at Washington Park Cemetery in Orlo Vista, Florida.[9]

References
  1. "Porter Left His Mark on Stuart". Palm Beach Post (West Palm Beach, Florida). June 9, 2007. p. 38.
  2. "Campus Publications and Media". Publications.villanova.edu. Archived from the original on 2006-08-29. Retrieved 7 January 2018.
  3. "Howard Porter Stats - Basketball-Reference.com". Basketball-Reference.com. Retrieved 7 January 2018.
  4. "Porter dies from beating injuries at age 58", ESPN, updated May 28, 2007.
  5. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2007-10-24. Retrieved 2007-06-05.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  6. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2007-07-07. Retrieved 2007-06-05.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  7. "Murder charge filed in death of ex-Villanova star". ESPN.com. 4 September 2007. Retrieved 7 January 2018.
  8. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2004-11-22. Retrieved 2009-03-21.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  9. "Howard Porter". Find a Grave. Retrieved 2007-12-01.
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