Savannah Bananas' Jackson Olson Joins 'dancing With The Stars': 'i Kind Of Manifested This Whole Thing'

Jackson Olson made nary concealed of his desire to compete connected “Dancing pinch nan Stars.”

He plays 2nd guidelines for nan lively Savannah Bananas, truthful dancing is already portion of his occupation description.

He is besides a societal media influencer pinch 2.1 cardinal TikTok followers and hasn’t been shy astir using nan platform to run for his dream gig.

It worked.

On Tuesday, ABC announced Olson arsenic nan latest contestant connected nan upcoming Season 35 of “Dancing pinch nan Stars,” nicknamed “DWTS.” He joins nan already-announced Maura Higgins of “Traitors” and “Love Island” and Ciara Miller of “Summer House” arsenic competitors for nan coveted Mirrorball Trophy, pinch much participants yet to beryllium revealed.

“I benignant of manifested this full point and posted a mates TikToks past twelvemonth conscionable joking ... ne'er reasoning that it was a possibility,” Olson said during a “Good Morning America” question and reply connected Wednesday. “But erstwhile I posted it, I’m like, ‘Maybe location is simply a possibility.’ I saw immoderate comments, I’m like, ‘OK, possibly this is possible.’”

A 28-year-old autochthonal of New Milford, Conn., Olson played 5 years of assemblage shot astatine Hartford and Stetson, batting .273 pinch 171 hits, 62 RBIs and 5 location runs successful 183 games. His dancing profession didn’t really commencement until he started playing for nan Bananas — whose offbeat and entertaining marque of shot incorporates dancing and different shenanigans — successful 2022.

Jackson Olson, front, is introduced aft nan Savannah Bananas’ crippled against nan Staten Island Ferryhawks connected Aug. 11, 2023, successful New York.

(Al Bello / Getty Images)

“When I was a kid, I ne'er thought immoderate of this was possible, moreover playing for nan Bananas aliases thing for illustration that,” Olson said. “I was a awkward kid that ne'er danced, ne'er put myself retired there, ne'er entertained, and recovered a passion for it.”

Athletes person been a staple of “DWTS” since nan show began successful 2005, pinch respective sports stars emerging arsenic champions. They see NFL players Emmitt Smith, Hines Ward, Donald Driver and Rashad Jennings; Olympians Apolo Anton Ohno, Kristi Yamaguchi, Shawn Johnson, Meryl Davis, Laurie Hernandez and Adam Rippon; IndyCar driver Hélio Castroneves; and NBA subordinate Iman Shumpert.

Derek Hough, a six-time “DWTS” champion arsenic a master dancer who is now a judge connected nan show, whitethorn person fto nan feline somewhat retired of nan container successful March. During an quality astatine a Savannah Bananas crippled astatine Angel Stadium, Hough started a creation routine by tossing a miniature mirrorball to Olson, who shrugged toward nan camera.

“Can’t hold to spot him waste and acquisition location runs for bottommost leads and curveballs for cha-cha-cha,” Hough wrote connected Instagram. “Let’s conscionable dream he doesn’t gaffe connected immoderate ballroom banana peels, though, if he tin dodge a fastball, he tin grip a quickstep!”