Before he was a Hall of Fame power forward, a Timberwolves executive, or a familiar face behind the microphone, Kevin McHale was a proud Gopher—dominating the paint at the Barn in the late ’70s. But for all his accolades on the court, one of his most unexpected and memorable moments came on television, not hardwood: two guest-starring appearances on the classic NBC sitcom Cheers.
Yes, McHale appeared twice on the iconic show set in a Boston bar “where everybody knows your name,” both times playing himself. His first cameo came in the Season 8 episode titled “Cheers Fouls Out,” which aired in February 1990. The storyline? The Cheers gang is buzzing as the Celtics are in town for the playoffs, and McHale drops by the bar to do a radio interview. Naturally, things go sideways when Sam Malone—played by Ted Danson and written as a former Red Sox pitcher—challenges McHale to a little one-on-one basketball in the bar. The result? McHale suffers a “career-ending” injury during their overly intense pickup game, sparking a hilarious spiral of guilt and overreactions from the Cheers crew.
McHale handled the role with impressive comedic timing. He wasn’t just a celebrity drop-in—he actually carried a chunk of the episode. Jokes flew, and the former Gopher didn’t miss a beat. It was a surreal sight for Minnesota sports fans: the pride of Hibbing delivering punchlines alongside Norm and Cliff.
But McHale wasn’t done yet.
He returned for a second appearance in Season 10’s “Where Have All the Floorboards Gone?” This time, the bar is undergoing renovations, and the regulars stumble onto a wooden floorboard signed by legendary Boston athletes. When McHale shows up again, the gang tries to get him to add his name to the collection. What follows is another round of sharp banter and a few clever nods to Boston sports fandom—and McHale’s place in that history.
Both episodes leaned into McHale’s natural charisma. Unlike many athlete cameos, his appearances weren’t stiff or awkward. He was in on the joke, willing to poke fun at himself, and clearly having a good time. It helped that McHale had long been known for his dry sense of humor—even back in his Gopher days, he was as quick with a quote as he was with a drop step.
For Gopher fans, these episodes were a treat. McHale had already cemented his legacy at the U and with the Celtics by then, but seeing him on Cheers—one of the most beloved sitcoms of its era—was something else. It was a crossover moment: Minnesota sports meeting prime-time pop culture.
So if you’re ever flipping channels or streaming classic TV and Cheers pops up, check out Season 8, Episode 18 and Season 10, Episode 20. You’ll see a different side of one of Minnesota’s all-time greats—less post moves, more punchlines.
And yes, even Norm gave him a standing ovation… from his barstool.