Sports
Bill Walton claims Chewbacca was modeled after him after auditioning for Star Wars role
Bill Walton is tall.
So is Chewbacca.
Walton once had long hair and a shaggy beard.
Chewbacca has hair all over his body.
Walton has a son named Luke.
Chewbacca has a friend named Luke.
Walton was terrific with a basketball.
Chewbacca is quite handy with a blaster, which starts with the same letter as “basketball.”
Yep, there’s no doubt about it — Walton and Chewbacca are basically one and the same.
OK, maybe not. But it doesn’t seem to be too much of a stretch to believe that the basketball Hall of Famer turned beloved broadcaster may have provided inspiration for the beloved character from the “Star Wars” movies.
Portland Trail Blazers center Bill Walton attempts to block out Milwaukee Bucks center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar during a game on Jan. 19, 1975.
(Associated Press)
Walton made the claim Thursday night during ESPN’s coverage of Oregon’s game at USC, where the movie franchise’s creator, George Lucas, once attended film school. Here’s Walton’s highly entertaining exchange with broadcast partner Dave Pasch, which includes Walton’s not-quite-correct pronunciation of Chewbacca.
Pasch: “Is it true that you were in the mix to play Chewbacca?”
Walton: “… Chewybacca is modeled after me.”
Pasch: “I heard that you were in the running for that, that you were being considered to play the role. I’m being dead serious.”
Walton: “You’re always serious, that’s one of your problems, that you don’t have fun with your life.”
Pasch: “But you’re not answering the question.”
Walton: “George Lucas is as cool as they get and I remember the night that George, Kareem [Abdul-Jabbar], Bill Russell and me, we were all up at San Francisco at a big fundraiser for the Martin Luther King memorial …”
Pasch: “So since you’re not answering the question, I’m just gonna assume it’s true.”
Walton: “What was the question? I auditioned for Chewybacca and they said no but we’re going to model the character after you.”
Pasch: “You were in ‘Ghostbusters’ and people didn’t know that, so again I think there’s a great chance that this is a true story.”
The Times was unable to reach Walton nor anyone in Lucas’ camp for this story.
Walton won two national titles at UCLA under legendary coach John Wooden and was a two-time NBA champion with the Portland Trail Blazers and Boston Celtics. The 6-foot-11 Walton also was the NBA Finals MVP in 1977 and league MVP in 1978.
Chewbacca has been a beloved “Star Wars” character since the franchise’s first film in 1977.
(Chris Pizzello / Associated Press)
Chewbacca is a Wookiee from the planet Kashyyyk. His listed size has fluctuated over the years, but he’s generally been in the 7½-foot range. He’s the co-pilot of the Millennium Falcon, a brave ally of the Rebel Alliance and a loyal friend to Han Solo.
(He has also been referred to as “fuzzball” and a “walking carpet,” terms that could have applied to Walton during various points in the 1970s).
Walton does have several film credits listed on his IMDB page, including “Ghostbusters” (he briefly appears in the background during the closing credits of the 1984 film). But that page, of course, wouldn’t include a role he tried out for and did not get.
The late Peter Mayhew, who stood at 7-3, played Chewbacca in all of the “Star Wars” movies through “The Force Awakens” in 2015.
As fun as it would be to believe that the character was inspired by Walton, alas, Lucas seems to have debunked that claim in the past.
“My original inspiration for Chewbacca was my dog, Indiana. She was the one that sat there with me as I was writing the script all the time, she’d ride in the car with me and be my co-pilot,” Lucas said in “The Characters of Star Wars” featurette on the 2004 “Star Wars Trilogy” DVD box set.
“And when she’d sit in the car, she would be as tall as I am. She was an Alaskan Malamute, she was very big — I thought that was a funny image. And as I was looking for a kind of alien co-pilot for Han Solo, I immediately thought of Indiana.”
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The United States men’s national team opened its 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign with a commanding 4-1 rout of Paraguay behind two goals from Folarin Balogun, and after taking care of Australia, the team has one match left in the group stage against Turkey on Thursday night.
The Americans took care of Australia last week 2-0 to keep their strong start rolling. The victory clinched a knockout-round berth for Team USA. The USMNT will look to carry its momentum into their match against Turkey as the Stars and Stripes return to Los Angeles Stadium.
Players of the United States celebrate their first goal, an own goal by Cameron Burgess of Australia, during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group D match at Seattle Stadium in Seattle, Washington, on June 19, 2026. (Fran Santiago/Getty Images)
WATCH USA VS TURKEY ON FOX ONE
Australia began its World Cup run with a win over Turkey before suffering a setback against the U.S. The Australians will meet Paraguay on Thursday in a match featuring two teams already beaten by the Americans during the group stage.
Late last month, the Americans defeated Senegal, 3-2, in a World Cup tuneup match.
Under head coach Mauricio Pochettino, the USMNT entered the tournament as the No. 17 team in the FIFA World Rankings. FIFA determines its world rankings using the Elo rating system, which rewards teams for wins and penalizes them for losses while also factoring in the strength of the competition.
Alex Freeman of the United States celebrates with teammates after scoring his team’s second goal during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group D match between the U.S. and Australia at Seattle Stadium on June 19, 2026. (Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
FOX ONE’S NEW WORLD CUP VIEWING EXPERIENCE
This year’s World Cup features an expanded field of 48 teams.
Here’s how to watch the game, including start time, TV information and streaming options.
The FIFA World Cup Trophy is displayed on stage at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Official Draw on Dec. 3, 2025. (Michael Regan – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)
How to Watch United States vs Turkey
When: Thursday, June 25, 2026, at 10 p.m. ET
Where: Los Angeles Stadium, Inglewood, California.
TV: FOX
Stream: Watch on FOX One and FOX Sports.
Two misdemeanor drug charges against U.S. alpine skiing great Bode Miller are set to be dropped, according to his attorney.
“No drugs were found on Bode’s person,” attorney Jeromy Stafford said in a statement emailed to The Times on Thursday morning. “After speaking with the Prosecuting Attorney for Fremont County Idaho, Lindsey Blake, she has agreed to dismiss all charges against Bode Miller.”
Blake has not announced the move and did not immediately respond to a message from The Times.
Miller was arrested June 6 in Fremont County. According to a probable cause statement by Sheriff’s Deputy Jacob Hurt, the six-time Olympic medalist was in possession of a white dispensary bag containing 4.1 grams of psilocybin mushrooms.
Hurt said in his statement that Miller “knew that the Psilocybin mushrooms were illegal.” The 48-year-old former athlete was taken into custody and released the same day after posting a $5,000 bond. On June 11, Miller pleaded not guilty to possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.
In a statement posted to Instagram on Tuesday, Miller gave a different account of what led to his arrest.
“I was pulled over for accelerating while passing another vehicle on a highway in Idaho,” Miller said. “My friend, who was traveling with me, had a small amount of cannabis and a cannabis pipe in his possession which I was unaware of. We fully cooperated with the officer. I am hopeful the misdemeanor charges will be dropped once the facts are reviewed.”
Online court records show the status of Miller’s case as “Active – Pending.” A pretrial hearing remains scheduled for July 29.
Sports
Terrion Arnold, Lions’ 2024 first-round pick, charged with kidnapping and armed robbery in Florida
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Detroit Lions cornerback Terrion Arnold was arrested in connection with an alleged kidnapping and robbery that investigators say occurred in February, the Tampa Police Department announced on Wednesday night.
Police previously arrested six other individuals accused of participating in what authorities described as a “targeted armed robbery” on Feb. 4.
Arnold turned himself in and was taken into custody at Orient Road Jail in Hillsborough County on Wednesday night. He is charged with four counts of kidnapping and four counts of armed robbery.
Terrion Arnold of the Detroit Lions looks on during the second half of an NFL game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis., on Sept. 7, 2025. (Todd Rosenberg/Getty Images)
“We are aware of the matter and have been in contact with the club. We have no further comment at this time,” an NFL spokesperson told Fox News Digital.
The Lions have not immediately responded to a request for comment by Fox News Digital.
According to investigators, Arnold rented an Airbnb in Largo, Florida, where he periodically stayed with several co-defendants: Arianna Del Valle, 19; Jasmine Randazzo, 19; Lyndell Hudson II, 26; Christion Williams, 24; Boakai Hilton Jr., 23; and Freddie Hughes, 27. Authorities said other individuals also stayed at the property.
LIONS’ JAMESON WILLIAMS WON’T BE DISCIPLINED BY NFL AFTER FACING ARREST IN GUN-RELATED INCIDENT: REPORT
Investigators said three male victims, all in their late teens, suffered visible injuries after they were allegedly battered, held at gunpoint and pistol-whipped before being robbed and ordered to leave a residence in the 14000 block of North 46th Street in Tampa.
According to investigators, multiple personal items belonging to Arnold and others were stolen from the Airbnb on Feb. 1. Authorities said Arnold suspected two of the three victims were responsible, though Tampa police later determined they were not involved in the theft.
On Feb. 3, Arnold, Hilton, Hughes and another individual reported more than $250,000 in stolen property to the Largo Police Department.
Investigators allege that later that day Arnold and Hilton coordinated with Del Valle and Randazzo to contact one of the victims and lure him to an apartment.
Terrion Arnold of the Detroit Lions lines up before a play during an NFL game against the Green Bay Packers at Ford Field in Detroit, Mich., on Nov. 27, 2025. (Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images)
Police said the three victims arrived at the apartment on Feb. 4 to meet the women, where Williams and Hudson were allegedly hiding inside a bedroom closet. According to investigators, Williams and Hudson grabbed the victims, held them at gunpoint and assaulted them.
Authorities said Del Valle streamed the incident to Arnold, Hilton and Hughes as they traveled to the apartment. Investigators also said they recovered a group chat involving the defendants in which Arnold and Hilton allegedly gave directions to Del Valle, Williams and Hudson during the assault.
According to investigators, Arnold, Hilton, Hughes and another individual arrived at the apartment around 1 a.m. Police allege Arnold directed the group inside, and that Hughes, Hudson and Williams stole the victims’ personal property while the assault was ongoing.
Authorities said the victims were escorted from the apartment about 40 minutes later, forced into their vehicle and left the scene. They later reported the incident to Tampa police and identified the suspects.
Investigators said they believe Arnold was the primary organizer of the alleged scheme based on evidence gathered during the investigation.
Terrion Arnold of the Detroit Lions runs onto the field before an NFL game against the Green Bay Packers at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan, on Nov. 27, 2025. (Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images)
Arnold, an Alabama product, was selected by Detroit with the No. 24 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
The 23-year-old recorded his first career interception this past season in Week 9 against the Minnesota Vikings, though he was only able to play eight games due to a shoulder injury that required season-ending surgery.
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Arnold played 16 games during his rookie season in 2024, tallying 10 passes defended and 60 combined tackles.
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