Rachel Nichols believes the Caitlin Clark-Angel Reese rivalry could grow to match one of the greatest rivalries in NBA history.
Appearing on Skip Bayless’ “Undisputed” on Tuesday, the veteran sportscaster likened Clark and Reese’s battles to those of Magic Johnson and Larry Bird.
Claiming: “This whole [Clark and Reese] rivalry really does have the potential to grow into the kind of [Larry] Bird, Magic [Johnson] situation that lifted the NBA.”
“I’m talking about the effect they had on the league,” she continued. “Bird and Magic just ushered in a whole new era in the NBA… and I think this rivalry has the potential to lift the WNBA.”
Magic and Bird were two all-time figures not only because of what they did on the basketball court but because of how they captivated audiences and grew the sport’s fanbase.
Add in the fact that the seeds of their rivalry were planted in college at Michigan State and Indiana State and there are definitely parallels that can be drawn to Reese and Clark’s battles.
Of course, the main reason Larry and Magic’s bouts became so legendary is because they were always battling for titles and MVPs in the ’80s.
Caitlin and Angel have a long way to go before they reach that level. But maybe one day we’ll look back on the 2024 WNBA class as the one that changed everything for the league.
