Heavy/ABC Caitlin Clark unlikely to join season 33.
The 33rd season of “Dancing With the Stars” will air in the fall, and casting rumors have already started. According to the Daily Mail, basketball star Caitlin Clark was offered a spot on the show, but declined the opportunity.
“Every single offer you could get has been thrown her way,” a source told the outlet. “The producers of ‘Dancing With the Stars’ have asked Caitlin to take part, but she has respectfully declined,” the source added.
Clark plays basketball for the Indiana Fever in the WNBA. She previously played college basketball for Iowa.
“She is focusing on the WNBA this summer and in the fall when DWTS comes back, Caitlin is going to dive into some other opportunities and chase those goals instead,” the source continued, going on to explain that Clark may be open to other television opportunities — but not DWTS.
Heavy has reached out to a rep for Clark for comment. ABC does not comment on casting rumors.
Here’s what you need to know:
Fans Reacted to the Caitlin Clark Rumor on Reddit
Many fans feel Clark is unlikely to compete on “Dancing With the Stars” due to the WNBA season schedule. Quite a few expressed this on a Reddit thread about the rumor.
“I don’t think It would’ve been the right move for Caitlin Clark to join, honestly. She’s not risk getting injured and possibly risking her basketball season,” one person wrote.
“Deena had to ask, but I also see why Caitlin declined. The typical DWTS season starts in mid to late September. The WNBA playoffs also start in mid to late September. (The Olympics pushed it back a little). There’s a decent chance the Fever make the playoffs this year, so she’d be unavailable the first few weeks of the DWTS season (depending on how far the Fever go; probably will lose in first round or two). Even if the WNBA season was over by then, her senior NCAA season and rookie WNBA season are back to back. Adding a DWTS season right after that would be WILD,” someone else added.
“September 17th is the last regular season game, so even if her team doesn’t make the playoffs, that would be cutting it way too close assuming that the show is late September/early October again,” a third comment read.
Fans Aren’t Ruling Out a Possible Athlete for Season 33
While it seems unlikely that Clark will be part of season 33 of “Dancing With the Stars,” whether the rumor that she was asked is true or not, that doesn’t mean another athlete won’t be on the show.
The most prominent name in the rumor mill is former NFL star Jason Kelce. And, if Kelce were to be cast, ballroom pro Jenna Johnson has already said she’d love to be partnered with him.
During a Q&A on her Instagram Stories in March 2024, a fan asked Johnson who her dream partner for season 33 would be.
“I’m going to say Jason Kelce. He just retired, so I think it’d be perfect timing, plus, I think he would be hilarious and so much fun to work with,” she responded.
Other fans think that there will be a gymnast on the season.
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