Howard Porter (basketball)
Encyclopedia
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
. He attended Booker High School in Sarasota, Florida
, where he was nicknamed "Geez". 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.
, 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 27 of injuries sustained during the assault.
Local police arrested 33-year-old Tanya Washington in connection with the murder. Washington was later released by police, stating that there was not enough evidence to file charges against her. On September 4, police announced that they had arrested and charged Rashad Arthur Raleigh with Porter's murder. Raleigh is now serving a life sentence for Porter's murder.
Howard Porter is interred at Washington Park Cemetery in Orlovista, Florida
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player. At 6'8" and 220 pounds, he played as a forward and a center
Center (basketball)
The center, colloquially known as the five or the post, is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. The center is normally the tallest player on the team, and often has a great deal of strength and body mass as well...
.
Porter was born in Stuart, Florida
Stuart, Florida
Stuart is the only incorporated city of Martin County, Florida, on Florida's Treasure Coast. The population was 14,633 at the 2000 census. As of 2007, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 15,964....
. He attended Booker High School in Sarasota, Florida
Sarasota, Florida
Sarasota is a city located in Sarasota County on the southwestern coast of the U.S. state of Florida. It is south of the Tampa Bay Area and north of Fort Myers...
, where he was nicknamed "Geez". 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
Villanova University
Villanova University is a private university located in Radnor Township, a suburb northwest of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States...
, where he was a three time All-America
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
selection. He took Villanova to the 1971 NCAA Championship Game
NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship
The NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship is a single-elimination tournament held each spring in the United States, featuring 68 college basketball teams, to determine the national championship in the top tier of college basketball...
, in which Villanova lost to UCLA 68-62. Porter was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player
NCAA Basketball Tournament Most Outstanding Player
At the conclusion of the NCAA men's and women's Division I basketball championships , the Associated Press selects a Most Outstanding Player. The MOP need not be, but almost always is a member of the Championship team, especially since the third place game was eliminated after 1981...
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
Pittsburgh Condors
The Pittsburgh Condors were a professional basketball team in the original American Basketball Association. Originally called the Pittsburgh Pipers, they were a charter franchise of the ABA...
of the American Basketball Association
American Basketball Association
The American Basketball Association was a professional basketball league founded in 1967. The ABA ceased to exist with the ABA–NBA merger in 1976.-League history:...
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
Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...
in 1971. He played seven seasons in the NBA as a member of the Bulls, New York Knicks
New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
, Detroit Pistons
Detroit Pistons
The Detroit Pistons are a franchise of the National Basketball Association based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The team's home arena is The Palace of Auburn Hills. It was originally founded in Fort Wayne, Indiana as the Fort Wayne Pistons as a member of the National Basketball League in 1941, where...
, and New Jersey Nets
New Jersey Nets
The New Jersey Nets are a professional basketball team based in Newark, New Jersey. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
. His finest professional season occurred in 1976-77
1976-77 NBA season
The 1976–77 NBA season was the 31st season of the National Basketball Association. The season ended with the Portland Trail Blazers winning the NBA Championship, beating the Philadelphia 76ers 4 games to 2 in the NBA Finals.-Notable occurrences:...
, when he averaged 13.2 points and 5.9 rebounds
Rebound (basketball)
A rebound in basketball is the act of successfully gaining possession of the basketball after a missed field goal or free throw. Rebounds in basketball are a routine part in the game, as all possessions change after a shot is successfully made...
for the Pistons.
2007 disappearance and murder
Howard Porter, who was employed as a county probation officerProbation officer
Parole officers and probation officers play a role in criminal justice systems by supervising offenders released from incarceration or sentenced to non-custodial sanctions such as community service...
, disappeared on May 18, 2007. He was found severely beaten in a Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis , nicknamed "City of Lakes" and the "Mill City," is the county seat of Hennepin County, the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota, and the 48th largest in the United States...
alley in the early morning hours of May 19 and died on May 27 of injuries sustained during the assault.
Local police arrested 33-year-old Tanya Washington in connection with the murder. Washington was later released by police, stating that there was not enough evidence to file charges against her. On September 4, police announced that they had arrested and charged Rashad Arthur Raleigh with Porter's murder. Raleigh is now serving a life sentence for Porter's murder.
Howard Porter is interred at Washington Park Cemetery in Orlovista, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
.