Lakers Icon Magic Johnson: Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese Remind Me of Larry Bird, Myself | News, Scores, Highlights, Stats, and Rumors
Mia Morrison Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark and Chicago Sky star Angel Reese are only rookies, but one basketball legend believes they have the chance to make an immeasurable impact on the game.
Basketball Hall of Famer Magic Johnson praised the rivalry between Clark and Reese on social media, saying the attention the two of them are drawing "[reminds] me a lot of Larry Bird and me."
Earvin Magic Johnson @MagicJohnsonWhen I think about Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese's impact on the game, they remind me a lot of Larry Bird and me. Our first meeting, Indiana State vs. Michigan State, in the NCAA Championship set the all-time viewership record for men's basketball. Caitlin and Angel's 2023 NCAA…
The rivalry between Johnson and Bird defined basketball in the 1980s and ushered in a new era for the sport. As Johnson led his Los Angeles Lakers against Bird's Boston Celtics, fans happily chose sides and the NBA experienced a surge in popularity.
The Sky and Fever met for the third time this season Sunday, with Reese spearheading an 88-87 win by posting a career-high 25 points with 16 rebounds for her eighth straight double-double. Clark finished with 17 points and a franchise-record 13 assists in the loss.
ESPN announced on Tuesday that Sunday's game generated an average of 2.3 million viewers and peaked at 3.3 million.
ESPN PR @ESPNPRSunday's <a href="">#WNBA</a> matchup between the <a href="">@IndianaFever</a> & <a href="">@chicagosky</a> delivered the most-viewed WNBA game in 23 years 👏<br><br>🏀 2.3M avg. viewers<br>🏀 Audience peak 3.3M viewers<br><br>Details: <a href=""> <a href="">
While the rivalry between Clark and Reese has garnered a ton of attention dating back to their collegiate careers, the two of them don't pay it too much mind. Clark recently said she feels the rivalry is only hyped by outside people.
"For us, it's just a game of basketball, that's what it is," Clark said after a 91-79 victory over the Atlanta Dream last week. "If it's gonna help move the game forward, absolutely. That's amazing. That's what it should be. People can talk about it. I saw the ticket prices."
ESPN reported that ticket prices for Sunday's game averaged $351. It can be expected that prices will continue to rise after the entertaining show they put on in the contest.
Clark and Reese will meet for the final time this season when the Fever and Sky close out their regular-season series on Aug. 30.
