Magic Johnson Compares Caitlin Clark And Angel Reese To Himself And Larry Bird

The former Los Angeles Lakers star took to social media and drew comparisons between his collegiate and professional rivalry with Bird to that between Clark and Reese. Magic said that Clark and Reese will do for the WNBA what he and Bird did for the NBA.

Apr 6, 2009; Detroit, MI, USA; Michigan State Spartans and NBA former player Magic Johnson (right) hugs NBA former player Larry Bird (left) during a press conference before the championship game of the Final Four in the 2009 NCAA mens basketball tournament against the North Carolina Tar Heels at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports / Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

Hall of Famer and former Los Angeles Lakers star Magic Johnson said on social media Monday that Indiana's Caitlin Clark and Chicago's Angel Reese have the potential to do to the WNBA what he and Larry Bird did to the NBA back in the 1980's.

"Caitlin and Angel are now doing the same thing, selling out arenas and increasing the viewership," Johnson said. "They have taken women’s basketball by storm and with expiring TV deals on the horizon, the WNBA is now in a position to negotiate higher TV contracts and increase salaries for all of the talented players."

Like Bird and Magic, Clark and Reese were rivals in college. It has since carried to the WBNA, where they are stars for the Indiana Fever and Chicago Sky.

"Our first meeting, Indiana State vs. Michigan State, in the NCAA Championship set the all-time viewership record for men's basketball, "Johnson said. "Caitlin and Angel's 2023 Championship matchup and their 2024 Elite Eight games were the highest viewership records at the time."

Before Bird and Magic, NBA games were rarely televised and sometimes shown on taped delay. Clark and Reese are having the same impact on the WNBA. League attendance and TV ratings are at an all-time high.

"Larry and I heightened the NBA's overall popularity.," Johnson continued. "The Lakers and Celtics sold out arenas throughout the league and increased television viewership exponentially," Johnson said. "The higher viewership numbers led to the NBA signing significantly larger TV contracts which led to higher salaries for the players."

Scott Salomon is a contributor to Back in the Day NBA. He can be reached at scottsalomon67@gmail.com.