An NFL Hall of Famer and a two-time NBA champ are among the celebs joining Season 28 of Dancing with the Stars. Retired Baltimore Ravens legend Ray Lewis and former Laker Lamar Odom are trading in their cleats and sneaks, respectively, for ballroom shoes when the ABC reality competition series returns on Sept. 16. And because DWTS loves a curveball, they’re throwing in former White House press secretary Sean Spicer for good measure (not fake news).

 

The complete Season 28 cast:

  • Pop star Ally Brooke, 26, of Fifth Harmony
  • Supermodel Christie Brinkley, 65
  • The Bachelorette Hannah Brown, 24
  • Dawson himself, James Van Der Beek, 42
  • Queer Eye culture expert Karamo Brown, 38
  • Kate Flannery, 55, best known as Meredith from The Office
  • Kel Mitchell, 40, of Keenan & Kel fame
  • Former NBA pro Lamar Odom, 39
  • American Idol runner-up Lauren Alaina, 24
  • Mary Wilson, 75, of The Supremes
  • Former NFL linebacker Ray Lewis, 44
  • Former White House press secretary Sean Spicer, 47

They’ll be paired with returning pro dancers Alan Bersten, Brandon Armstrong, Cheryl Burke, Emma Slater, Gleb Savchenko, Jenna Johnson, Keo Motsepe, Lindsay Arnold, Peta Murgatroyd, Sasha Farber, Val Chmerkovskiy, and Witney Carson; plus newcomers Pasha Pashkov and Daniella Karagach.

Odom and Lewis are proven champs—Odom won two NBA titles with the Los Angeles Lakers, while 13-time Pro Bowler Lewis owns two Super Bowl rings with the Baltimore Ravens. Time will tell if Lewis can add a Mirrorball Trophy to the Lombardi Trophy, but one thing’s for certain: you can expect to see his signature squirrel dance.

Athletes have actually fared well with the cha-cha and foxtrot: past DWTS winners include Emmitt Smith, Apolo Anton Ohno, Hines Ward, and Rashad Jennings. 

Season 28 of DWTS premieres Sept. 16 on ABC.

Topics: