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.

[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.

[citation needed] After the Olympic trials, NBA scouts began to notice Porter for his "tight defensive play, nonstop hustle and deft shooting touch".

[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.

[7][8] Porter returned to Wisconsin–Stevens Point to finish his degree in communications, obtained in 1993, with an emphasis in television and radio.

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.

[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.

[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).

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.

[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.

[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.

[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] In 2006, Porter led an investor group attempting to purchase the then-troubled Portland Trail Blazers from owner Paul Allen.

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