By John McCarthy, NAIA Director of the Buffalo Funds-NAIA Division I Men’s Basketball National Championship
Special contributor for PlayNAIA blog

The season is well under way, and we just closed the books on the first half of the 2010-11 college basketball season.  With that said, I will begin a series of blog posts to write about NAIA Division I Men’s Basketball, as well as our preparations for the 2011 Buffalo Funds-NAIA Division I Men’s Basketball National Championship.

To get things started, I’d like to share with you a little bit about our Hall of Fame Class that consists of Terry Porter (Wisconsin-Stevens Point), Scottie Pippen (Central Arkansas), Travis Grant (Kentucky State) and Bill Odell (Azusa Pacific). There will be a special induction ceremony during the 2011 Buffalo Funds-NAIA Division I Men’s Basketball National Championship tip-off event on Tuesday, March 15, at the Grand Ballroom in downtown Kansas City, Mo.

I’ll write about each of the inductees but will start with Terry Porter.  Terry attended Wisconsin-Stevens Point from 1981 to 1985, where he scored 1,585 points while shooting 58.9% from the field.  He led the Pointers to the NAIA Tournament for three straight years (1983-1985), taking the team to the National Championship game in 1984. Stevens-Point fell to Fort Hays State, 48-46, in overtime, in that championship game, yet Terry led the tournament in scoring and was named the Chuck Taylor MVP of the 1984 NAIA Tournament.  In both his junior and senior seasons, he was named First Team NAIA All-American.

Following a tremendous collegiate career Terry was a first-round NBA draft choice (Portland Trailblazers), played 17 years in the NBA and was a two-time NBA All-Star.  He was the recipient of the 1993 NBA’s J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award recognizing his work with the Boys and Girls Club.  He’s been the Head Coach of two NBA teams (Milwaukee Bucks and Phoenix Suns) and on December 16, 2008, the Portland Trailblazers retired Terry’s jersey.

People who nominated Terry for the NAIA Hall of Fame spoke about his integrity, respect, dignity, caring and family man nature. Not only do his former coaches and teammates note his tremendous playing career but write about Terry’s desire to give back. Terry is an active supporter of the Boys and Girls club and he established the Milwaukee Scholars Fund to provide scholarship opportunities to minority students in the Milwaukee School System.

Terry will be in Kansas City on March 15 for the Hall of Fame induction ceremony and during this time will speak to the 600+ student-athletes and coaches in attendance.  His accomplishments speak for themselves and the NAIA is proud to welcome Terry into the NAIA Hall of Fame. For additional information about tickets to the NAIA Hall of Fame Induction ceremony, please visit www.naiahoops.com or call Ryan Anthony at 816-595-8141

“He has changed our University forever by making a difference in the lives of students past, present and future.”  – Mark Nook, Interim Chancellor, UW-Stevens Point

“Terry is the kind of success story that serves as a model for other aspiring athletes. He treats people with respect, dignity and care.  These characteristics continue to guide his life and all of us who have had the honor of knowing him appreciate his special qualities. The best part of Terry’s story is that it is not over. He will continue to be a leader of young men, a quality family person and server of his community.”  – Dr. John Munson, Professor Emeritus, UW-Stevens Point

“In 40 years of coaching I have not experienced a more amazing individual achievement than that of Terry Porter.  He was the third best player on an average high school team.  At UW-Stevens Point, a non-scholarship institution, he played very little his first year.  Each year, through intense effort, he became better.  He ended his college career as the greatest player in UW-Stevens Point history.” – Dick Bennett, Terry’s coach at UW-Stevens Point