Basketball Diaries
Kori Davis Porter, MBA’11 (Metro)
By Kenna Caprio
Kori Davis Porter, MBA’11 (Metro), grew up outside of Chicago, Ill., watching the Chicago Bulls and Michael Jordan play basketball. She started playing basketball herself in the seventh grade, and by the time she was in high school, she played volleyball and softball, too.
“Sports are the ultimate connector,” she says.
This year is Porter’s 32nd season with the National Basketball Association (NBA).
She’s held roles in game logging, production and management. Now, as senior vice president and head of business operations, Porter manages a team of 22 employees.
“My day-to-day is exciting and unpredictable. Depending on the day, I’ll have meetings on current projects, budgets, staffing, strategic planning and more. There’s also troubleshooting, solving issues and managing business processes. I spend a lot of my time connecting people and groups who are working together on a project.”
Porter came to the NBA through the Detroit Pistons. She interned for the team during her final semester at the University of Michigan.
“I was responsible for playing NBA Entertainment’s videos on the Jumbotron at the Pistons games to engage and energize the fans.”
Before she landed a full-time job at the NBA, though, she worked for The Oprah Winfrey show. “I ended up getting that job because I randomly met Oprah after attending a taping of her show and got to give her a hard copy of my résumé.”
With her production experience at Oprah and the NBA, Porter believed she’d spend her career working on sports features and shows. But she had the opportunity to pivot into business operations at the NBA, and armed with her MBA from FDU, she did.
“My purpose is to lead by example, use my voice, provide guidance and create opportunities when I can to make space for others, including women,” she says.
She’s the executive champion of Dream in Color, the NBA’s black employee network, and she leads employee engagement teams within her department, too.
“Early in my career,” Porter says, “There were times when I was not seen or heard. I’m often the only woman of color in the room and have dealt with imposter syndrome. I’ve learned to use the pressures and challenges I face as fuel to work harder and push through barriers. Great working relationships have helped me gain more confidence over the years. Many people took the time to advocate for me when I was not in the room. I do the same for others.”
WOMEN’S HOOPS
“I covered the first Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) game in Los Angeles, Calif., between the LA Sparks and the New York Liberty in 1997. Now, the WNBA is celebrating its 30th anniversary season. The competition, skill level and league’s popularity are at an all-time high. It’s been amazing and inspiring to witness the growth and popularity of women’s basketball.”
BOOK CLUB
One of Porter’s favorite books is Becoming by Michelle Obama.
INVOLVED ALUMNA
Porter is a member of FDU’s Sports Management Advisory Board and has appeared as a guest speaker on campus.