The duo draws similarities between Magic and Bird changing the NBA landscape and Clark and Reese’s WNBA impact.

Since Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese locked horns in the 2023 NCAA women’s championship game and the 2024 Elite Eight matchup, the hype surrounding their rivalry and arrival in the WNBA has been off the charts.

With the league pouring resources into boosting its finances and amenities in an attempt to maximize the stardom of these two young players, Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson believe the attention surrounding Clark and Reese is reminiscent of the Magic Johnson and Larry Bird era when they entered the NBA in the 80s and not only increased the viewership but saved a league that was struggling with a major drug wave and seemed to be on its last legs.

Barnes on Clark and Reese’s rivalry

Just like when Bird and Magic faced off in the ’79 NCAA championship game, which drew a staggering 40 million viewers to see who would come out on top, the Calrk vs. Reese’s rivalry has also captivated the fan’s attention similarly.

When these two titans battled it out in the Elite Eight game this year, an average of 12.3 million viewers tuned in, surpassing the already impressive 9.9 million who watched their championship game in ’23.

However, the real significance for Barnes is how this rivalry between two stars perfectly mirrors the racial dynamics of the Bird-Magic era. It’s setting the stage for something special, just like those two did back in the day.

“If you remember, they say Magic and Bird saved basketball. That was the 34th year of the NBA. With all the greatness that’s happened in the prior 27 years in the WNBA, some people are saying Caitlin Clark and Reese are kind of a new iteration of that,” Matt said.

“These ladies are bringing the eyeballs and the attention that are going to make this game come to the next level.”

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Jackson agrees with Matt’s perspective

‘Stack Jack’ was on the same page as his co-host, pointing out that aside from the racial dynamic, the Clark vs. Reese rivalry has divided fans into camps, with each side painting their girl as the hero and the other as the villain. It’s the same kind of narrative played out with Bird and Magic back in the day.

Put simply, for Jackson, the hero-villain storyline just adds more spice to an already heated rivalry.

“People made Larry and Magic seem like it was racial between them, but it wasn’t Larry and Magic,” Jackson said. “They loved each other, but everybody on the outside with their own opinion, they had to pick a side, and they made it racial. And I think both of these young ladies are dealing with the same thing.”

While both the former NBA Champs raised valid points about the Clark-Reese rivalry mirroring the Bird-Magic era, there’s one key difference. With two NBA legends, fans complimented both stars for their respective roles.

However, the same can’t be said for the Clark vs. Reese rivalry. Recently, the Chicago Sky rookie, while embracing her role as the villain, demanded that fans acknowledge her contribution to the WNBA’s growth instead of solely attributing it to the Indiana Fever guard.

“The reason why we’re watching women’s basketball is not just because of one person; it’s because of me, too,” Reese said. “And I want you to realize that.”