Magic Johnson sees himself and Larry Bird in Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese’s rivalry

When NBA legend Magic Johnson sees Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese set viewership records for the WNBA, he says he thinks of his rivalry with Larry Bird in the 1970s and 1980s.

A matchup between Clark’s Indiana Fever and Reese’s Chicago Sky drew 2.3 million TV viewers on Sunday, becoming the most-watched WNBA game in 23 years. It’s only the latest evidence of how the two, along with a group of dynamic young stars, are impacting women’s basketball.

“When I think about Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese’s impact on the game, they remind me a lot of Larry Bird and me,” Johnson wrote on X, noting that his first game against Bird set viewership records, just like the NCAA tournament matchups between Clark and Reese.

“Larry and I heightened the NBA’s overall popularity. The Lakers and Celtics sold out arenas throughout the league and increased television viewership exponentially,” the Hall of Famer wrote. “Caitlin and Angel are now doing the same thing, selling out arenas and increasing the viewership.”

The arrival of Clark and Reese, alongside other highly touted rookies like the Sparks’ Cameron Brink and the Mystics’ Aliyah Edwards, has drawn unprecedented attention to the WNBA.

Through the first month of the 2024 season, the WNBA set a new high for viewership and drew 60% more in-person fans. Even games that don’t feature Clark and Reese have attracted record interest — the Las Vegas Aces and Dallas Wings sold out their season tickets without the addition of a top rookie.

But Clark and Reese’s impact is just beginning. The WNBA’s current TV deals expire in 2025, and Johnson said he sees a lucrative future for the league.

“They have taken women’s basketball by storm,” wrote Johnson, who is now a part-owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Washington Commanders. “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.”