"They say Magic & Bird saved basketball" - Matt Barnes sees Caitlin Clark & Angel Reese as Larry Bird & Magic Johnson's version in WNBA 

By Miguel de Guzman

Modified Jun 04, 2024 23:20 GMT

A huge part of the WNBA's surge in popularity this season is the arrival of former Iowa star Caitlin Clark, but she isn't the only reason. Other rookies, such as LSU's Angel Reese, have also drawn plenty of attention, and as it happens, these two young players already have a brewing rivalry.

Their rivalry could affect their careers for many years to come, but former NBA champion Matt Barnes believes it could have a wider impact. In the latest episode of "All the Smoke," Barnes even likened the Clark-Reese rivalry to one of the most iconic NBA rivalries. That rivalry being that of Magic Johnson's and Larry Bird's. It was an on-court rivalry that is still being talked about to this day.

"This Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese thing kind of reminds me, and go with me, a bit of Magic Johnson and Larry Bird," Barnes said. "A Black star, a white star. If you remember, they say Magic and Bird saved basketball. That was the 34th year of the NBA."

The rivalry between Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark began before they were drafted to the WNBA in April. The biggest moment where their careers intertwined was in 2023 in the NCAA championship game when Reese helped LSU secure the national championship against Iowa.

Similarly, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird clashed in the 1979 NCAA championship game, with Johnson's Michigan State topping Bird's Indiana State. This tipped off a legendary rivalry that extended into the NBA and is a part of the rich history of the rivalry between the LA Lakers and Boston Celtics.

---

Caitlin Clark's Indiana Fever got the best of Angel Reese's Chicago Sky in their most recent matchup

At this stage in their careers, every matchup between Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese feels like an intense new chapter in their rivalry. The most recent chapter was written on Saturday, when the Chicago Sky paid a visit to the Indiana Fever for the WNBA's Commissioner's Cup.

The Fever came out on top of the physical battle by just one point 71-70 which also happened to be their first home win of the season. Clark had 11 points, eight rebounds and six assists for the Fever, while Reese grabbed 13 boards, scored eight points and had one steal.

This game also caused a lot of drama in and around the WNBA after Reese's teammate, Chennedy Carter, shoved Clark to the ground late in the third quarter. To add even more fuel to the fire, Reese was spotted cheering after the play.

Carter was assessed with a common foul during the game but it was upgraded to a flagrant-1 violation on Sunday. Additionally, Reese was given a $1,000 fine for not being available to the media after the game while her team was assessed a $5,000 fine.

After seeing all this drama, it might be safe to say that Matt Barnes could be right regarding his assessment of the rivalry between the two WNBA rookies.