ABC announces final two celebrities jumping into debut season of 'Splash'

"Splash" premieres Tuesday, March 19, on ABC

As announced on "Good Morning America," the final two celebrity contestants joining the cast of "Splash" (formerly titled "Celebrity Diving") are the NBA's all-time leading scorer and New York Times best-selling author Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and extreme skier Rory Bushfield. The two celebrities will be diving into the pool with previously announced cast members Louie Anderson, Drake Bell, Chuy Bravo, Nicole Eggert, Keshia Knight Pulliam, Ndamukong Suh, Katherine Webb and Kendra Wilkinson.

"Splash" marks the first time 10 celebrities will train and compete in regulation platform and springboard diving at dizzying heights in front of a weekly poolside audience. Each week, the celebrities will look fear in the face as they leap off the 10-meter high dive, pair off to complete synchronized stunts, and flip, twist and spin into the depths of the pool below.

Leading up to the competition, the world's most decorated and medaled diving legend, Greg Louganis, will give each celebrity weeks of training. The judges, London Olympic U.S. Gold medalist David Boudia and Australian Olympic athlete and USA Dive Team director Steve Foley, will critique each dive.

"Splash" premieres Tuesday, March 19 (8 p.m.), on The ABC Television Network.

As announced Monday morning, the final two contestants joining the "Splash" cast are:

KAREEM ABDUL-JABBAR - Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is one of basketball's greatest players. The 7-foot-2 Hall of Fame center, famous for his indefensible skyhook, dominated the NBA for 20 years and is the NBA's all-time leading scorer with 38,387 points. Prior to his stellar professional career, he led the UCLA Bruins to three consecutive NCAA championships and was named the only player in the 75-year history of the NCAA to be named the MVP of the tournament three years in row. Today, Kareem's leadership skills have taken on a new direction. In addition to being a New York Times best-selling author and award-winning filmmaker, he also believes education issues should be a critical focus in the U.S. and around the globe. In 2012 Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton named him a U.S. cultural ambassador, and he has been named California's STEM Education (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) afterschool ambassador.

RORY BUSHFIELD - Rory "Bushy" Bushfield, the 29-year-old extreme skiing air-hound from just outside Calgary, Alberta, has a very simple philosophy: get low, go big, and stomp. Refreshingly modest and personable, he lets his actions speak louder than his words, a trait he showcases in the impressive extreme skiing film segments he produces each season. He now resides in Squamish, B.C., where he shreds the backcountry on a daily basis, continually progressing his style and pushing the skiers around him. In addition to filming award-winning ski segments with top film companies such as Teton Gravity Research, Matchstick Productions and Sherpas Cinema, Rory also recently joined the cast of Travis Pastranas' Nitro Circus Live Tour, where he performs in front of sold-out audiences across the world.

"Splash" is from Eyeworks USA and is based on the breakout hit and Dutch format, "Celebrity Splash."

For more information on "Splash," visit www.ABC.com/Splash

Follow the show on: 

• Facebook at www.facebook.com/SplashABC
• Twitter @SplashABC, #Splash @ABC_Publicity