Rich Yonakor
 Yonakor as a freshman at UNC | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | October 3, 1958 Euclid, Ohio, U.S. |
| Died | March 3, 2022 (aged 63) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) |
| Listed weight | 220 lb (100 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Euclid (Euclid, Ohio) |
| College | North Carolina (1976–1980) |
| NBA draft | 1980: 3rd round, 61st overall pick |
| Drafted by | San Antonio Spurs |
| Position | Power forward |
| Number | 43 |
| Career history | |
| 1980–1981 | Bartolini Brindisi |
| 1981 | Rochester Zeniths |
| 1981–1982 | Montana Golden Nuggets |
| 1982 | San Antonio Spurs |
| Stats at NBA.com | |
| Stats at Basketball Reference | |
Richard Robert Yonakor (October 3, 1958 – March 3, 2022) was an American basketball player. He played one season for the San Antonio Spurs of the National Basketball Association (NBA).
Yonakor, a 6'9" forward/center from Euclid, Ohio, played collegiately at the University of North Carolina from 1976 to 1980 where he averaged 5.4 points and 3.7 rebounds per game for his career.
Despite his modest college statistics, Yonakor was drafted in the third round of the 1980 NBA draft by the San Antonio Spurs. After playing a season in Italy for Bartolini Brindisi, Yonakor made his NBA debut on March 8, 1982. He appeared in 10 games, averaging 3.3 points and 2.3 rebounds per game in his only NBA season.[1] He also played in the Continental Basketball Association for the Rochester Zeniths and Montana Golden Nuggets.[2]
Rich was the son of former NFL football player John Yonakor.
Rich Yonakor died on March 3, 2022.[3]
Career statistics
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
NBA
Source[1]
Regular season
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1981–82 | San Antonio | 10 | 0 | 7.0 | .538 | – | .714 | 2.7 | .3 | .1 | .2 | 3.3 |
Playoffs
| Year | Team | GP | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | San Antonio | 2 | 2.0 | .500 | – | – | .5 | .5 | .5 | .0 | 1.0 |
References
- ^ a b "Rich Yonakor NBA stats". Basketball Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved December 16, 2025.
- ^ 1982-83 CBA Official Guide, page 90
- ^ Chansky, Art (May 18, 2022). "Chansky's Notebook: Mr. 'Air-Ball!'". Chapelboro. Retrieved December 16, 2025.
External links
- Italian League profile Archived February 8, 2012, at the Wayback Machine