In the 1972 NBA draft, Porter was the 39th overall pick, selected by the Baltimore Bullets in the third round. In his second year, he led the league in personal fouls with 319. While he received 320 the next year, he won his first of four assist titles in 1975. The Bullets reached the NBA Finals, but were swept by the underdog Golden State Warriors. In late August 1975, Porter was traded to the Detroit Pistons for Dave Bing and a first round draft pick used to select Tree Rollins. Porter suffered a knee injury in his second season with Detroit and appeared in only nineteen games. In the early start of his third season with the Pistons, he was traded with Howard Porter and cash to the New Jersey Nets for Al Skinner, a 1978 2nd round draft pick and a 1979 2nd round draft pick. On February 24, 1978, Porter had 29 assists in a game against the Rockets while with the Nets. He also had 14 points and 5 rebounds in a season the led to his 2nd assist title, with 10.2 per game. The record would stand until Scott Skiles tallied 30 assists on December 30, 1990. After the season, he was traded back to the Pistons for Eric Money. In that season, he won his third assist title, with 13.4 per game. He had a 30 point-25 assist game, on March 9, 1979. Additionally he was the first player to record over 1,000 assists in a single season. It would be five years before another player would record over 1,000 assists. After that season, he signed as a veteran free agent with the Washington Bullets. The Detroit Pistons received a first round draft pick in 1980 and a 1982 first round pick as compensation for his departure. Porter appeared in two playoff games that year and garnered nine assists as the Bullets fell in the first round. The following year, he had 9.1 assists per game, which was enough to win his final assist title. However, during training camp before the 1981 season, he snapped his Achilles tendon, missing all of that season. He only played 11 games of the next season, having only 4.2 assists per game. On January 18, 1983, he was waived by the Bullets. When he retired in 1983, he had accumulated 5,314 career assists and 7,645 career points, while also being 14th all time in career assists per game and 13th in assist percentage at 37.5. Notably, of the top 50 in career assist leaders, he played the fewest games. Despite leading the league in assists per game four times, he was never selected to an All Star Game. Only five players have won more assists titles than Porter, and all five of them are in the Hall of Fame. In 1983, he played in the Philippines for the Toyota Super Corollas with Robert Jaworski in the Philippine Basketball Association as an import during the Open Conference tournament and along with Billy Ray Bates of the rival Crispa Redmanizers with Atoy Co and Abet Guidaben.
St. Francis University Coach
While Porter was playing in the Philippines, the head coaching job at Saint Francis University opened up. Georgetown University coach John Thompson recommended him for the job. Porter took over as the St. Francis head coach on July 11, 1983. During his four seasons as the St. Franics coach, Porter's record was 42-68. He was succeeded by Jim Barron, who led St. Francis to its only NCAA Basketball Tournament appearance at the conclusion of the 1990-91 season during Barron's five-year stint in Loretto. Barron was able to record two winning seasons out of five at St. Francis; the men's basketball team has recorded a total of four winning seasons since that NCAA appearance.
