A power forward with the agility of a guard, Howell was an All-American at Mississippi State where he averaged 27.1 points per game. He was named the Bulldogs Most Valuable Athlete in 1958 and 1959 and led the Bulldogs to a three-year 61-14 record. Howell played twelve seasons in the NBA and won championships with the Boston Celtics in 1968 and 1969.

Active with Mississippi State University's Athletic Scholarship Fund