Magic Johnson has advised Caitlin Clark to seek wisdom from a former NBA star amid the Fever rookie’s rivalry with Angel Reese.
Clark and Reese have been rivals on the court since their college days at Iowa and LSU respectively, and Reese ramped things up last week when she applauded teammate Chennedy Carter’s aggressive body check on Clark.
and while he speaks Jimmy Kimmel live On Thursday, Lakers legend Johnson said Clark should talk to a former rival of his.
“Let me give Caitlin some advice,” he began. ‘Call Larry Bird, ask him for advice… Indiana, he’s already there (and he could give you some great advice on how to handle this situation because he’s been through it himself.
‘So, it would be a perfect situation. She already lived there, grew up in Indiana, and it went on and on. I think that would be great.’
Magic Johnson has advised Caitlin Clark to seek the wisdom of his former rival Larry Bird
Larry Bird and Magic Johnson faced off in the ’80s as the Celtics and Lakers battled for glory.
Bird and Johnson, who entered the NBA during the 1979-80 season, battled throughout the ’80s as the Celtics and Lakers battled for glory.
Elsewhere on the show, Kimmel told Johnson that Clark and Reese were the ‘Larry Bird and Magic Johnson of the WNBA.’ Do you like it when you hear that?’
“I like it and they are,” Johnson said.
‘Like Larry and I, (we weren’t) the best when we came into the league. Later we became the best with our game. “Caitlin still has to play very well to become the best player in the WNBA.”
Just as Bird and Johnson clashed in their heyday, it appears some tension will continue between Reese and Clark, whom Reese mocked during the 2023 national championship game.
Clark and Reese have been at each other since Reese mocked Clark during the 2023 national championship.
Reese recently rejected the idea that people were watching WNBA games “for one person” and said he would accept the “bad boy role” after encouraging Carter’s push.
‘People are coming to the games, we have celebrities coming to the games, sold-out stadiums. Just for a single game. And just by looking at that, I will take on that role. I will take on the role of the bad guy and continue to take on the role. And be that for my teammates.’
And he added: ‘I know I will go down in history. I’ll look back in 20 years and say, “Yeah, the reason we watch women’s basketball isn’t just because of one person.” It’s for me too” and I want you to realize that… many of us have done so much for this game…’
On Friday, Clark had her best WNBA game to date, as she dropped 30 points in a narrow Fever victory over the Mystics.
However, it appears he will be left off the US Olympic roster.