Porter was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on April 8, 1963. Porter played prep basketball, as a forward, at Milwaukee's South Division High School.^{[citation needed]}

Porter attended college at the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point (the Pointers), at the time a National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics NAIA school. He played under head coach Dick Bennett, and with Brad Soderberg (who later became the head coach at Saint Louis University).^{[citation needed]}

In four seasons at Stevens Point, Porter averaged 13.5 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game, and shot 58.9 percent from the floor.^[1] As a junior, he averaged 18.8 points while shooting over 65 percent from the floor.^[2] Twice with the Pointers, as both a junior and a senior, he was named an NAIA First-Team All-American. As a junior, he was named the NAIA "Player of the Year", and in the 1984 NAIA tournament, he was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player even though the Pointers lost the national championship to Fort Hays State.^[3]

After the 1984 tournament, Porter was the only NAIA player to be invited to the 1984 U.S. Olympic Team trials—the team included Patrick Ewing, Michael Jordan, Sam Perkins, Wayman Tisdale, Chris Mullin, and Steve Alford—72 players were invited to the trials, led by head coach Bob Knight. At the trials he said: "I'm sure a lot of guys might have been surprised to see me here, I didn't even expect to get invited. This competition is a whole notch up from what I'm used to. I feel kind of in awe".^[4] Porter made it to the final 20 (even though he had the chicken pox^[5]), but on a team that was heavy on guards (Jordan, Alford, Vern Fleming, Alvin Robertson, and Leon Wood), Porter was cut on May 13, 1984, along with Charles Barkley and John Stockton.^{[citation needed]}

After the Olympic trials, NBA scouts began to notice Porter for his "tight defensive play, nonstop hustle and deft shooting touch". He commented: "I wasn't much good in high school, so the big schools didn't come after me. But I guess I've improved a lot at Point". After three seasons at shooting guard, he moved to the point guard position.^[2]

Following his senior season, where he averaged 19.7 points and 4.3 assists per-game, Porter was the only Division III player named to the National Association of Basketball Coaches-Valvoline All-America Game.^[6] He was also the only NAIA player named to the Aloha Basketball All-Star Classic, where he was named to the all-tournament team (along with Detlef Schrempf, Harold Keeling, Xavier McDaniel, and Joe Dumars), and as "top defensive player" and co-MVP.^[7][8]

Porter returned to Wisconsin–Stevens Point to finish his degree in communications, obtained in 1993, with an emphasis in television and radio.^[9] He was awarded a Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1999.^[10]

Going into the 1985 NBA draft, the Chicago Bulls,^[11] Atlanta Hawks,^[12] Golden State Warriors,^[13] and San Antonio Spurs,^[14] all looked to draft Porter. Most pundits, including Bob Ryan of the Boston Globe, projected him going to the Houston Rockets with the 19th pick in the draft,^[15] while Jan Hubbard of The Dallas Morning News had him going to the Detroit Pistons with the number 18 pick.^[16] He was considered the second-best choice at point guard, behind Sam Vincent of Michigan State.^[17]

On June 18, 1985, the Portland Trail Blazers selected Porter with the 24th overall pick in the NBA draft.^[18]

On February 5, 1987, Porter recorded his first career triple-double after recording 18 points, 10 rebounds and 13 assists in a 105–104 win over the visiting Los Angeles Lakers.^[19] A month later, Porter recorded his second career triple-double after recording 14 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists in a losing effort against the Seattle SuperSonics.^[20]

During the 1987–88 season, Porter averaged 10.1 assists per game, making him the only player in the Trail Blazers' franchise history to average double-digit in assists in a season. Porter scored a career-high 40 points to go along with six rebounds and 12 assists in a 121–116 win over the Golden State Warriors on March 18, 1988.^[21] On April 14, Porter recorded 25 points and a career-high 19 assists in a 128–123 road win against the Utah Jazz.^[22]

On May 2, 1995, Porter recorded his 5,318 and 5,319 assist as a Portland Trail Blazers player. During the game, Trail Blazers' starter Rod Strickland recorded 10 assists in game 3 loss against Phoenix Suns.^{[citation needed]}

During his decade-long tenure in Portland, Porter went to the NBA Finals twice, in 1990 and 1992.^[23] Porter played in the NBA All-Star Game in 1991 and 1993 and was the recipient of the J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award in 1993.^[24] As of 2010, Porter was the Trail Blazers' all-time assists leader, with 5,319.^[24]

Porter signed as a free agent with the Minnesota Timberwolves prior to the 1995–96 season and helped the Wolves clinch their first-ever playoff berth in 1996–97 and their first winning season the following year.^{[citation needed]}

He signed with the Miami Heat on January 22, 1999.^[25] On February 9, he scored a season-high 21 points to go along with three assists and three steals in a 108–101 home loss to the Boston Celtics.^[26]

Porter signed with the San Antonio Spurs prior to the 1999–2000 season.^[27] During the 2001 NBA playoffs, Porter, then 38 years old, played a key role in San Antonio's run to the Western Conference Finals, starting all 13 playoff games while averaging 8.3 points and 3.4 assists per game.^[28] He retired after the 2001–02 season.^[29]

Porter's teams compiled a record of 815–547 (.598) during his playing career and only once failed to make the postseason.^{[citation needed]}

In 1,274 career games, Porter averaged 12.2 points, 5.6 assists and 1.2 steals. He scored 15,586 career points.^[30] As of August 2021, Porter stands 17th on the NBA's all-time assists list (7,160).^[31] Porter has played for five of the top 36 coaches (games won) in NBA history: Pat Riley (1,210), Rick Adelman (945), Jack Ramsay (864), Gregg Popovich (797), and Flip Saunders (636).^{[citation needed]}

On December 16, 2008, the Trail Blazers retired Porter's #30 jersey.^[32]

Porter spent the 2002–03 season as an assistant coach with the Sacramento Kings, his first season in coaching.^[33]

On August 6, 2003, the Milwaukee native was hired as head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks.^[34] He was the eighth head coach in franchise history. He coached the Bucks for two years, leading a team which was expected to wind up in the playoffs after landing in the NBA draft lottery. However, the Bucks failed to make the playoffs the next season, and Porter was released during the 2005 offseason.^{[citation needed]}

In his time away from the NBA, Porter coached his son's fifth-grade basketball team to an undefeated season. After a year away from the professional game, Porter joined the Detroit Pistons staff as an assistant coach for the 2006–07 season.^[35]

On June 9, 2008, Porter was named the 13th head coach of the Phoenix Suns, succeeding Mike D'Antoni.^[36]

On February 16, 2009, the Suns fired him after 51 games, and replaced him with assistant Alvin Gentry. The Suns had a 28–23 record, ninth in the Western Conference, with Porter.^[37]

On December 6, 2011, he was hired as an assistant coach by the Minnesota Timberwolves under Rick Adelman.^[38]

On January 8, 2013, the Timberwolves announced that Porter would be acting head coach while Adelman was not with the team due to family issues.^[39][40]

On April 2, 2016, it was announced that Porter was hired as the head men's basketball coach by the University of Portland.^[41] On February 5, 2021, the University of Portland fired Porter after he led the Pilots to a 43–103 record in nearly five seasons as head coach.^[42]

On September 28, 2025, Porter was hired to serve as a scout for the Portland Trail Blazers.^[43]

In 2006, Porter led an investor group attempting to purchase the then-troubled Portland Trail Blazers from owner Paul Allen. After the 2006 draft, Allen appeared to renew his interest in the team and removed it from the market.^{[citation needed]}

Porter joined the Trail Blazers television broadcasting team before the start of the 2010–11 NBA season.^[44]

In 2014, Porter was named as an alumni ambassador for Portland Trail Blazers.^[45]

Porter, the youngest of six children, is an avid golfer. He and his wife Susie have three children—Brianna, Franklin and Malcolm. The family resides in the Portland area. Throughout his career, Porter has been active with the Boys & Girls Club and is a member of the organization's Hall of Fame. In 1994, he created the Milwaukee Scholars Fund, which provides scholarships to minority students in Milwaukee to attend schools in the University of Wisconsin System. He recently hung out with Felicia Rochelle at the Packers game.^{[citation needed]}

• List of National Basketball Association career games played leaders
• List of National Basketball Association career assists leaders
• List of National Basketball Association career steals leaders
• List of National Basketball Association career turnovers leaders
• List of National Basketball Association career playoff 3-point scoring leaders