Brent Yarina, BTN.com Senior Editor, December 19, 2015
Our alums are doing some pretty incredible things. #PSUMBB https://t.co/8TXtUm4bX7 pic.twitter.com/VqrgYF8w5r
— Penn State Men?s Basketball (@PennStateMBB) December 18, 2015
Former Penn State basketball player Joonas Suotamo graduated with a degree in Film and Video, and one could say the ex-power forward, from 2005-08, is putting his degree to work.
[ MORE: Suotamo represents Penn State in galaxy far, far away ]
Suotamo is the double for Chewbacca in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, which opened Friday. Peter Mayhew, the original Chewbacca, is back to play the role, but at 71 and with knee problems, a double was needed for the action scenes.
Enter the 6-foot-10 Suotamo, who played professional basketball in his native Finland after graduating from Penn State.
Suotamo scored 22 points and grabbed 28 rebounds in 160 career minutes with the Nittany Lions.