A source also tells ET that Disney star Jordan Fisher will be competing with pro dancer Lindsay Arnold!
Season 25 of Dancing With the Stars is shaping up to be a "baller" season!
After major speculation by fans on social media, a source tells ET that fan favorite pro dancer Sharna Burgess will be competing with NBA star Derek Fisher this season.
Rumors began swirling when Burgess shared a video of blue sneakers to her Instagram Stories, teasing fans with clues about her new partner. Fans picked up on the fact that the shoes were an exact match to the ones the 43-year-old athlete was wearing while giving a speech during the ribbon cutting ceremony for the newly renovated Woodland Hills Recreation Center. On top of that, Fisher followed -- and then quickly unfollowed! -- Burgess on Instagram earlier this week.
The Little Rock, Arkansas, native spent the majority of his professional basketball career with the Los Angeles Lakers, with whom he won five NBA championships. After 18 seasons as a point guard/shooting guard for the NBA, he most recently served as head coach for the New York Knicks.
This will only be the fourth time an NBA star has stepped foot into the ballroom. The last was Metta World Peace (also a former Lakers player) in season 13 with Peta Murgatroyd. Others include Clyde Drexler (season four) and Rick Fox (season 11).
Burgess has never been paired with a basketball player and has yet to win a mirrorball trophy. Perhaps this could be her year?
In more casting news, a source tells ET that Lindsay Arnold is paired with Disney star Jordan Fisher this season. While he shares the same last name as the NBA star, the two are not related. The 23-year-old actor is best known for playing Seacat in Teen Beach Movie. He also starred in Grease Live! and Liv and Maddie, and played John Lauren and Philip Hamilton in the hit Broadway musical, Hamilton.
ET previously reported that another fan favorite, Cheryl Burke, will be returning as a pro dancer this season. A source tells ET, however, that there has been a lot of drama surrounding who she'll be paired with when the show returns to ABC on Sept. 18.
According to the source, producers want to give her someone talented who the fans will love, but it's been difficult to lock someone down.
"This isn't uncommon at all," the source explains. "In some years, last-minute changes to the cast have been made right up until less than two weeks before the live shows."
Property Brothers star Drew Scott was the first celebrity to officially be announced on Good Morning America with season 24 champion Emma Slater. ET was the first to report that he was joining the cast, along with former paralympic swimmer Victoria Arlen (paired with Val Chmerkovskiy!), Nikki Bella, and Nick and Vanessa Lachey.
Other outlets are reporting that Bobby Brown pulled out "last minute," while Shark Tank star Barbara Corcoran, Malcom in the Middle actor Frankie Muniz and violinist Lindsey Stirling have all joined the cast.
ET has reached out to ABC for comment, but the network doesn't comment on casting rumors ahead of their official announcement. The full star lineup will be revealed Sept. 6 on GMA.
