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Mark McNamara

1959 – 2020

American basketball player

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About Mark McNamara

Lived 1959 – 2020 (aged 60). Mark McNamara was an American basketball player.

Mark Robert McNamara (June 8, 1959 – April 27, 2020) was an American professional basketball player who was selected by the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round (22nd pick overall) of the 1982 NBA draft.

A 6'11" power forward-center from the University of California, Berkeley, McNamara played in eight NBA seasons from 1982 to 1985 and from 1986 to 1991. He played for the 76ers, San Antonio Spurs, Kansas City Kings, Los Angeles Lakers and Orlando Magic. McNamara also dabbled in acting and appeared in the 1985 TV movie "Ewoks: The Battle for Endor".

NBA career Drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers, he spent his rookie season with the team. Playing alongside Moses Malone, McNamara averaged 2.2 points and 2.1 rebounds per game across 36 games, and earned his only NBA championship with the 76ers.

McNamara's best statistical year as a professional came during the 1983–84 season as a member of the Spurs, appearing in 70 games and averaging 5.5 ppg and 4.5 rpg.

In his NBA career, McNamara played in 278 games and scored a total of 980 points.

Post-NBA McNamara was an assistant coach of the boys' basketball team at Haines High School in Haines, Alaska, and led the team to two state titles.

Career statistics

NBA Source

Regular season

Playoffs

Film

McNamara worked as a stand-in for Peter Mayhew as Chewbacca on the set of Return of the Jedi.

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Important facts

Birth century
Occupation
Nationality
Education
Del Mar High School, Santa Clara University
Awards
List of All-Pac-12 Conference men's basketball teams; NBA champion; NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans
Also known as
Mark Robert McNamara, The Snakeman, Tank

People in Mark McNamara's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Mark McNamara's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Mark McNamara?

American basketball player (1959-2020)

When was Mark McNamara born?

Mark McNamara was born on 8 June 1959 in San Jose.

When did Mark McNamara die?

Mark McNamara died on 27 April 2020 in Nevada.

What was Mark McNamara's occupation?

Mark McNamara was a basketball player.

What nationality was Mark McNamara?

Mark McNamara was American.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Mark McNamara

· Wikidata: Q1617163

· DBpedia: Mark McNamara

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Mark McNamara. https://biography.guide/mark-mcnamara/

MLA: "Mark McNamara." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/mark-mcnamara/.

Chicago: "Mark McNamara." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/mark-mcnamara/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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