SCREEN TEST : Mark McNamara Stands In for Laker Centers and Character From Star Wars

Life as a stand-in has been anything but boring for Laker reserve center Mark McNamara. It pays well. The hours are reasonable. He has worked with such interesting characters as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Moses Malone and, of course, Chewbacca.

Yes, long before he was a Laker, McNamara worked as a stand-in for that furry alien life-form called a Wookie in “Return of the Jedi” in 1983. He had lasers shot at him, swords thrust at his carcass, and he had a great death scene. It was McNamara’s first acting job, and you could have called him the Wookie of the Year.

Now, though, McNamara is under the direction of Pat Riley, not George Lucas. And the 6-foot 11-inch journeyman finds himself a stand-in for Abdul-Jabbar and Mychal Thompson.

It is a role, both on the court and on screen, that McNamara has come to accept.

He once was the first-round draft choice of the Philadelphia 76ers, whom he rejoined last season, actually becoming a starter part of time. But with the Lakers, McNamara has not played in 6 of the last 8 games going into Wednesday night’s meeting against the 76ers at the Forum.

Still, McNamara is more than just another big body to fill the lane during pregame warmups. He is not this season’s Chuck Nevitt. Or even the latest incarnation of Mike Smrek.

McNamara once led the Pacific 10 in scoring, rebounding and field-goal percentage--something Abdul-Jabbar never accomplished at UCLA--while playing for California. He also led the National Collegiate Athletic Assn. in field-goal percentage, 70.2%, his senior season.

Perhaps the most eclectic of Lakers, McNamara has a degree from Berkeley in environmental economics and is contemplating law school. He may be one of the few National Basketball Assn. players to transfer colleges--from Santa Clara to Cal--for academic reasons. He also is renowned on the beach volleyball circuit and he body surfs.

And then there was his 6-week gig as a “Star Wars” character.

“I did all the stunts for Chewbacca,” McNamara said. “It was a real good experience for me. From there, it launched me into getting a role in a made-for-TV movie based on the Ewoks. I did a lot of the stunts, too, for the main characters.

“I had this one death scene where, they wire you with this electronic thing that’s supposed to squirt (blood) when you got lasered to death. So, I got shot, and I actually felt pain from the wiring, so I guess I wasn’t acting like I got hurt.”

In his limited role with the Lakers, McNamara sometimes is called upon to sacrifice his body while fighting for rebounds and make the most of the few minutes when neither Abdul-Jabbar or Thompson is playing.

Although he has played in only 15 of the Lakers first 27 games, averaging 7.8 minutes and 2.1 points, McNamara has reinforced his label as a quality backup center, a valued asset in the NBA.

McNamara first served capably in that role with the 76ers, when he gave Malone a few minutes to rest during Philadelphia’s 1982-83 NBA championship season. Five years later, McNamara basically has the same role.

But in between, McNamara, 29, had all the experiences of an NBA journeyman. After earning a championship ring at Philadelphia, McNamara made stops the next 3 seasons at San Antonio, Kansas City, Milwaukee and Italy. He returned to Philadelphia in 1986, in time for Julius Erving’s farewell tour, and last season became the 76ers’ starting center for a prolonged stretch.

“I’ve had almost every kind of experience in basketball,” McNamara said. “From playing in Europe, where I was counted on to score every time I got the ball, to where I was the main backup center getting a lot of minutes, to being the starting center. Everything.”

This season, on the Lakers, McNamara is the backup to the backup center.

“This is a little different, but it’s not a shock to me,” McNamara said. “I think one of the reasons I can accept it is because I’m sitting on the bench on this team.”

The Lakers’ success was what attracted McNamara. The Lakers liked his experience and attitude, after having let Kurt Rambis go to Charlotte via free agency.

So, when the rebuilding 76ers decided not to re-sign McNamara among others, the Lakers signed him and eventually traded Smrek to San Antonio to make room. McNamara said he could have signed with other teams and been assured more playing time, but he chose the Lakers for several reasons.

“After being around awhile, you get to know which are the better organizations to play for,” McNamara said. “The Lakers had a great reputation. I also get a chance to see my family and friends more (in Northern California). And the third, and most obvious, reason is . . . joining this team.

“The talent they have, the motivation, the serious work ethic. All those things made it easier for me to sign here, despite the fact I knew it would be tough to make the roster. My whole career, it’s almost been like going down to the last few days of camp to see whether I’d make the team.”

Unlike many first-round draft choices, McNamara came out of college not expecting stardom or even a regular job in the NBA.

“I’ve always known my ability and played to the role that’s needed,” he said. “I knew I’d have a career as a role player. I enjoy the game. I don’t need to score 20 points to feel I’ve accomplished something.”

If that attitude appears unusual, well, McNamara is atypical of most pros. He said he could walk away from the NBA today and have no regrets or longings to return because, as he says, “there is life after basketball.”

McNamara, it seems, learned that earlier than most.

Once a teammate of Rambis’ at Santa Clara, McNamara transferred to Cal mainly for academic reasons. He attended Berkeley’s business school and studied environmental economics.

He says that once his basketball career ends, he might start another either with environmental groups or perhaps pursue a career in law.

“Right now, with people being aware of the greenhouse effect and other issues, it’s a good time to raise awareness,” McNamara said. “People look at the short-term economic impact on things, like if they put too many restrictions on corporations it will cost too much. What we do is look how it’s going to affect both the environment and corporations long-term.

“Like, in Detroit, if you make (the corporations) raise industry standards, they say they will lose jobs of the workers. But in the long term, it saves money, benefits the companies and its employees and helps protect the environment.”

The environment in which McNamara spends most of his time these days is on the Laker bench. Although he’ll probably remain a stand-in rather than a standout, McNamara accepts the role. “There are guys (backup centers) with more talent, but I’ve hung in there because I’ve been able to adjust,” McNamara said.