Magic Johnson slaps bold demands from Caitlin Clark’s Fever teammates amid viral Chennedy Carter play 

By Rishabh Bhatnagar

Modified Jun 07, 2024 18:50 GMT

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Los Angeles Lakers legend and NBA Hall of Famer Magic Johnson had some stellar advice for the Indiana Fever and Caitlin Clark during an appearance on "Jimmy Kimmel Live." Clark has been involved in a controversy with Chennedy Carter, after Carter pushed Clark to the floor during their June 1 matchup.

Johnson said that the situation with WNBA newcomers Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark is similar to what himself and Larry Bird experienced when they first arrived in the NBA. He said that similar to the two NBA legends, Clark is not the best player in the league at this early stage of her career at the top level.

Hence, she — along with Reese and 2024 No. 2 draft pick Cameron Brink — is bound to be tested by the league’s other veterans. Johnson said that during these situations, it is the rest of the roster’s responsibility to stand up for the rookies:

“Now, Caitlin, her teammates got to come to her defence. You cannot allow her to have to fight every battle, right? But we have to understand that both Caitlin, Angel and Brink, who plays for my Sparks, they made the WNBA better, and they are going to be tested by these incredible women who have been in the league for a long time.”

While Johnson was satisfied with how Clark responded to the situation, he maintained that the rest of the Fever roster should have helped her stand her ground. The Lakers legend then claimed that while Clark is the most popular WNBA player already, she is not the best, which should change in the future.

Magic Johnson sees similarities between Angel Reese-Caitlin Clark and himself and Larry Bird

Johnson spoke at length about the kind of welcome WNBA players seem to have given Caitlin Clark since her arrival. He claimed that the situation is similar to when he arrived in the NBA. While Larry Bird was the No. 6 pick of the 1978 draft, Johnson was the No. 1 pick the following year.

When asked, Johnson said he was delighted with the comparisons:

"I like it, and they are [the Larry Bird and Magic Johnson of the WNBA]."

Johnson also delved into a story from his career, sharing that he would be targetted by the veterans when he initially joined the Lakers as a rookie. Talking about an incident with Ron Boone, Johnson revealed that his former Laker teammate rammed into him during a training session.

However, Magic being Magic, he responded quickly and hit Boone during another play minutes later. That, in a nutshell, is the kind of approach Magic wants Caitlin Clark to take up, especially considering the kind of physicality she has experienced in the WNBA thus far.