Magic Johnson Weighs In On Caitlin Clark/Angel Reese Rivalry, But Gets Basic Facts Wrong

Magic Johnson weighed in on the Caitlin Clark/Angel Reese rivalry, but missed the mark.

Caitlin Clark has become the face of the WNBA, and is the most important player the league has ever had. For the first time in the league's history, it's generating national headlines daily, selling out arenas and putting up big TV ratings.

The reason why is that fans of the former Iowa star followed her from college to the pros. There's definitely plenty of extra drama with Angel Reese, and the former Lakers star sees a bit of himself and former Celtics star Larry Bird in the situation.

Magic Johnson reacts to Caitlin Clark/Angel Reese rivalry.

"When 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 Championship matchup and their 2024 Elite Eight games were the highest viewership records at the time," Johnson tweeted Monday night when reflecting on the weekend game.

He further added, "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 higher viewership numbers led to the NBA signing significantly larger TV contracts which then led to higher salaries for the players. Caitlin and Angel are now doing the same thing, selling out arenas and increasing the viewership. 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."

Magic Johnson weighs in on Caitlin Clark/Angel Reese rivalry. (Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images)

While the Clark/Reese rivalry is without question the most famous in the WNBA thanks to its roots from their college battles, the former NBA player isn't really correct in his assessment.

He seems to think Clark *AND* Reese are equally responsible for the WNBA's boom in popularity and business. That's not really true. Yes, Clark can go on the road and sell out arenas and draw historic TV ratings. There's nothing to suggest Angel Reese by herself can do the same. Reese and the Sky definitely get plenty of attention when playing the Indiana Fever and Clark. Alone? Not so much, and the numbers prove that.

When Clark played the Washington Mystics in D.C., the game was played at Capital One Arena and had more than 20,000 fans in attendance. When Reese and the Sky visited town, the game was played at a smaller venue and had 4,200 fans in attendance.

The Angel Reese/Caitlin Clark rivalry is hardly equal. (Photo by Melissa Tamez/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Larry Bird and Magic Johnson were both massive draws by themselves. One person didn't need the other to boost attendance and attention. Both were capable of doing it by themselves. It was an equal rivalry.

The Angel Reese/Caitlin Clark rivalry is very one-sided. Reese needs Clark for attention. The latter doesn't need anyone.

To make this point even clearer, data released in mid-June showed Clark made up 33.5% of all WNBA attendance and games featuring her had 105% more fans in attendance. At the time the data was released, the Fever also drew 36% more fans on the road than any other team.

Caitlin Clark is the reason the WNBA has seen a huge spike in interest. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)

So, it's not equal at all or really comparable to Bird/Johnson. Agree? Disagree? Let me know at David.Hookstead@outkick.com.