Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese remind Magic Johnson of himself, Larry Bird

Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese are must-watch TV any time the two get together on the court.

As standouts at Iowa and LSU, the pair set ratings records with their matchup in the 2023 women’s NCAA Tournament national championship game and in the 2024 Elite Eight.

That ratings draw has carried over into the WNBA where Clark and Reese are pulling the highest viewership numbers in 23 years for each of the past two Indiana Fever versus Chicago Sky matchups.

Their last matchup caught the eye of one of basketball’s all-time greats, legendary Los Angeles Lakers point guard Magic Johnson. The Clark-Reese impact reminds Johnson of the impact that his famous battles with Boston Celtics legend, Larry Bird, had on men’s basketball.

“When I think about Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese’s impact on the game, they remind me a lot of Larry Bird and me. Our first meeting, Indiana State vs. Michigan State, in the NCAA Championship set the all-time viewership record for men’s basketball. Caitlin and Angel’s 2023 NCAA Championship matchup and their 2024 Elite Eight games were the highest viewership records at the time.

“Larry and I heightened the NBA’s overall popularity. The Lakers and Celtics sold out arenas throughout the league and increased television viewership exponentially. The higher viewership numbers led to the NBA signing significantly larger TV contracts which then led to higher salaries for the players.

“Caitlin and Angel are now doing the same thing, selling out arenas and increasing the viewership. They have taken women’s basketball by storm and with expiring TV deals on the horizon, the WNBA is now in a position to negotiate higher TV contracts and increase salaries for all of the talented players,” Magic wrote in two posts on X.

The Magic-Bird parallel is one that others have drawn as a comparison for Clark-Reese as well.

In their most recent matchup, the Sky used a big fourth-quarter rally to top the Fever in thrilling fashion, 88-87, on June 23. Both Clark and Reese made history in the contest.

Clark set the Fever’s single-game franchise assists record with 13 helpers and also became the first rookie in league history to score 15 or more points, dish out 10 or more assists and connect on five or more 3-pointers in a WNBA game.

Meanwhile, Reese finished with a career-high 25 points and 16 rebounds. It was her eighth consecutive double-double, extending her WNBA rookie record.

After another double-double in the Sky’s Thursday contest versus the Las Vegas Aces, Reese has now tied the WNBA record for consecutive double-doubles at nine straight games.

The Fever won the first two games in the season series, topping the Sky on June 1, 71-70, and on June 16, 91-83. The two teams meet one final time in the regular season on Aug. 30.

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Story originally appeared on Hawkeyes Wire