While Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese have dismissed the media portrayal of their rivalry as being as intense as reported, NBA legend Magic Johnson recently told Fox that the WNBA stars remind him of his own iconic rivalry with Larry Bird.
When asked about the parallels between the Clark-Reese rivalry and his own with Bird, Johnson told Fox’s Speak, per talkSports: “I love the comparison because they dominated in college [as we both did]. And then they brought it over to the WNBA, just like we brought it to the NBA. We changed the NBA. They’re changing the WNBA,” he explained.
Bird and Magic’s fierce rivalry began in college during the 1979 national championship game and lasted until ‘Kodak’ retired in 1992. Over 10 years, they dominated the NBA, with Bird winning three championships, three MVPs, and two Finals MVPs, while Magic, playing for the Showtime Lakers alongside Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, captured five titles, three MVPs, and three Finals MVPs.
Indeed, the Indiana Fever guard and the Chicago Sky forward have faced each other since their AAU days and throughout their college careers. A notable moment between them occurred during an intense NCAA women’s national championship matchup between Iowa and LSU in 2023, which put both players in the media spotlight.
Magic Johnson (IMAGO / Newscom / AdMedia)
In that game, Tigers standout Reese taunted Clark by gesturing to her ring finger to symbolize the championship ring she was about to receive after the 102-85 win. However, both stars have dismissed the narrative of a rivalry.
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Reese and Clark’s thoughts on their relationship:
During a conversation with Speedy Morman for Complex, Reese stated that they are “very competitive” but there’s no “hard feelings” between them, emphasizing that “obviously social media is going to put two women against each other.” Although the attention can be negative—Reese has often faced online abuse—she also views it as positive because it helps “grow” women’s sports.
Caitlin Clark poses with her TIME magazine cover (Jason Mendez/Getty Images)
Conversely, Clark spoke about it in her interview with TIME magazine for her Athlete of the Year cover. “I don’t get that at all. We’re not best friends by any means, but we’re very respectful of one another. Yes, we have had tremendous battles. But when have I ever guarded her? And when has she guarded me?” she said.
Magic Johnson says they are going to change the WNBA:
Johnson also spoke about how they have contributed outside the court. “Everything these young ladies have been fighting for, they’re about to get,” Magic Johnson said. “They’re going to get private planes now, more money in terms of salary because of the new collective bargaining agreement.”
“So it’s just amazing, the way they were able to go around arenas across the country and sell them out, with little girls now dreaming about being like Caitlin, like Angel, and others. It has been great to watch. It is fun, and now everybody wants a [WNBA] franchise,” he said.
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The WNBA plans to commit $50 million over the next two years to provide full-time charter flight service for its teams during the season. Additionally, the players’ association is negotiating a new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) after the league secured a new TV deal estimated at $2.2 billion.
