Rich Yonakor

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).

Rich Yonakor

Yonakor as a freshman at UNC
Personal information
Born	(1958-10-03) October 3, 1958 Euclid, Ohio, U.S.
Died	March 3, 2022(2022-03-03) (aged 63) Charlotte, North Carolina, U.S.
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 / Round: 3 / Pick: 61st overall
Selected by the 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.com

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. He played in the 1977 NCAA championship game in North Carolina's loss to Marquette, was a part of 5 assorted ACC Championships, and is remembered in the basketball world for the beginning of the chant, "Air Ball,"[1] a chant often used today by fans when an opposing player takes a shot that misses the rim altogether.[2]

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.[3] He also played in the Continental Basketball Association for the Rochester Zeniths and Montana Golden Nuggets.[4]

Rich was the son of football player John Yonakor.

He passed away on March 3, 2022.[5]