Porter was raised in North Jersey; his mother moved him from Newark to Irvington in the eighth grade so he could live in a safer environment.[1] He played basketball at Irvington High School where he averaged 22.1 points and 13 rebounds during his senior season.[1] Porter did not have a desire to play at a high-profile school and committed to play for the Rider Broncs under head coach Don Harnum.[1]
College career
Porter averaged 5.5 points and 2.9 rebounds during his freshman season with the Broncs.[1] He blossomed during his sophomore season to average 17.6 points and 6.6 rebounds per game.[1] Porter averaged 19.2 points and 6.8 rebounds during his junior season which prompted MAAC coaches to tab him as the preseason Player of the Year for his senior season.[2] Harnum challenged Porter to live up to the expectation because "he's just that unassuming and nondescript."[1] Porter averaged a league-leading 20.3 points and 8.4 rebounds during the 2001–02 season to earn the MAAC Player of the Year award.[3][4]
Porter was inducted into the Rider Athletics Hall of Fame in 2008.[5]