Former Sixers first-round pick Mark McNamara dies at 60
McNamara was a rookie on the Sixers team that swept the Lakers in the 1983 NBA Finals.
Mark McNamara, 60, a former first-round pick by the 76ers, died Monday after a series of illnesses, the University of California confirmed.
The center and forward was the Sixers’ 22nd overall pick in the 1982 draft. McNamara had been battling heart ailments and was diagnosed with a rare respiratory condition more than 10 years ago.
The California native was a rookie on the Sixers team that swept the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1983 NBA Finals. He was traded to the San Antonio Spurs on Nov. 4, 1983. After stops with the Spurs, the Kansas City/ Sacramento Kings, and Milwaukee Bucks, he re-signed with the Sixers on March 4, 1987. After his second stint with the Sixers, he played two seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers before ending his NBA career with the Orlando Magic.
He averaged 3.5 points in 278 career games, with 25 starts.
McNamara was a standout player at Cal before entering the NBA. The 6-foot-11 player was inducted into the Cal Athletic Hall of Fame in 2016. He was selected for the Golden Bears All-Century Team. He spent two seasons with the Golden Bears after transferring from Santa Clara.