Howard Porter (basketball)

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Howard Porter (born August 31, 1948 in Stuart, Florida) is an American former professional basketball player. At 6'8" and 220 pounds, he played as a forward and a center.

Porter attended Booker High School in Sarasota, Florida, where he was nicknamed "Geez" because teammates said he could leap into the air like a geyser. 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 Final Four and was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player. However, Porter was later disqualified for the Most Outstanding Player award because he had signed a professional contract with the Pittsburgh Pipers of the American Basketball Association.^[1]

Porter never played for the Pipers, 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. ^[2]

[edit] Notes

1. ^ http://publications.villanova.edu/vumagazine/summer2002/a_basketball_story.htm.
2. ^ http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/p/porteho01.html.