Bill Walton Bizarrely Claims Classic 'Star Wars' Character Is Modeled After Him

Was Chewbacca in "Star Wars" modeled off Bill Walton?

Chewbacca is one of the best characters in the "Star Wars" universe, and immediately ascended to legendary status after making his first appearance as Han Solo's trusty sidekick in "Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope."

The two-legged animal is known for being great with a blaster, more than capable of killing bad guys, being loyal to Han, constantly groaning and also being massive.

Is there any chance it was modeled off a basketball player? It sounds absolutely insane, but that's the exact claim Bill Walton made Thursday night while calling a game.

Bill Walton says he's the inspiration for Chewbacca.

"Chewbacca is modeled after me…I auditioned for Chewbacca, and they said, ‘No, but we’re going to model the character after you," Walton told Dave Pasch when asked if he was in the mix for the role.

You can listen to his full comments below, and hit me with your reactions at David.Hookstead@outkick.com.

I hate to burst Bill Walton's bubble, but I find it very hard to believe a member of the Portland Trail Blazers was the inspiration for Chewbacca.

In fact, I don't believe it at all. Is it possible someone told him that? Sure, anything is possible, but it just doesn't seem likely. You don't have to take my word for it. It turns out George Lucas has already explained the inspiration for Chewbacca, and *checks notes* it wasn't a basketball player.

"I had an Alaskan Malamute when I was writing the film. A very sweet dog, she would always sit next to me when I was writing. And when I’d drive around, she’d sit in the front seat. Having her with me all the time inspired me to give Han Solo a sidekick who was like a big, furry dog. Not quite like a dog, but intelligent," Lucas previously explained when talking about the inspiration for the furry beast, according to multiple reports.

Bill Walton claims Chewbacca was inspired by him. (Photo by Mark Sennet/Getty Images)

More than anything, this moment from Bill Walton is a great reminder that you truly have no idea what he's ever going to say. As I've said before, I was watching an ESPN broadcast of a Wisconsin game roughly a decade ago, and out of nowhere, Bill Walton just started dishing out a history lesson about the Vietnam War.

You truly have absolutely no idea what's going to come out of his mouth, and that's why viewers love him.

As much as we love Bill, I'm just not buying he inspired one of the most famous characters in cinema history. We might need to get George Lucas on the phone to sort this all out. Let me know what you think at David.Hookstead@outkick.com.