Despite only facing off in the NCAA tournament championship last year, the rivalry of Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese has risen to new heights. With constant comparisons and debates over who is truly the better player, many fans and analysts have begun to compare the collegiate rivalry to that of Magic Johnson and Larry Bird.
While the two collegiate stars are nowhere near the greatness of Bird and Magic right now, there are shocking similarities between the duos that are very reminiscent of the NBA’s most famous rivalry. Much like Bird and Johnson, Reese and Clark have the opportunity to revamp all of women’s basketball.
LSU forward Angel Reese has recently drawn heavy comparisons to Johnson, though not for the reasons many would assume. Her polarizing play and all-around celebrity stardom has been very reminiscent of the stardom Johnson reached when leading Michigan State on their championship run. Her recent NIL deal with Reebok and countless product commercials have made her a well-known star outside of basketball, much like the former Laker guard himself. Despite her being one of the best players in the country, it is Reese’s charisma and outspoken persona that has drawn many fans to tune into women’s college basketball. A feat not accomplished by many, Reese has found herself growing the sport of women’s basketball and making it must-see TV, almost the exact thing Johnson did for men’s basketball.
Despite losing to Reese in last year’s NCAA tournament championship, Clark’s national stardom has only continued to grow. Regarded as the “home-town hero” in her native state of Iowa, Clark has single-handedly made Iowa women’s basketball relevant in the world of sports news today. Eerily similar to the days of Bird at Indiana State, her incredible shooting ability along with excellent court vision have made her one of the biggest names in all of women’s basketball to date. Clark has become such a draw that in just an Iowa exhibition game, the Hawkeyes found themselves playing in a football stadium with over 55,000 people in attendance. A national record for attendance in a women’s basketball game, Clark has single-handedly revived Iowa basketball and has taken the game to heights never before reached.
The rivalry between Clark and Reese has serious potential to take women’s basketball to new heights. Much like Bird and Johnson did for the NBA, the two collegiate superstars have made the sport of women’s basketball both relevant and must-see TV. Their battle in last year’s NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament drew in about 9.9 million viewers on ABC network, which in itself set a historical viewership record for the female sport.
Although it is entirely too early to be sure, the world could very well be witnessing the next great rivalry in sports.
