Six Olympians, Kareem, Johnny Damon among Dancing With the Stars contestants

Six Olympians, an NBA legend, a once-scruffy World Series champion, a buzzer-beating basketball player, and a chatty cornerback are among the contestants in this year’s version of “Dancing With the Stars.”

Skaters Adam Rippon, Tonya Harding, Mirai Nagasu; snowboarder Jamie Anderson; softball player Jennie Finch; and luger Chris Mazdzer will take to the dance floor against Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Johnny Damon, Josh Norman, and Arike Ogunbowale in the first all-athlete DWTS. Several of the contestants fared well, or won notoriety, in PyeongChang just a few weeks back; Anderson won a snowboarding gold, Mazdzer won the United States’ first-ever singles medal in luge, and Rippon became an outspoken voice.

Here’s the official announcement:

Athletes have a bit of an edge over movie stars and the like, given the fact that DWTS is a hell of a lot more athletic than most reality shows. Emmitt Smith, Apolo Anton Ohno, Kristi Yamaguchi, Hines Ward, and Donald Driver are among the athletes who have won the competition in its 13-year history.

The 26th season of “Dancing With the Stars” starts April 30.

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Jay Busbee is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Contact him at jay.busbee@yahoo.com or find him on Twitter or on Facebook.

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