While Shaq and Paul Pierce picked sides in the Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese debate for the Rookie of the Year award, Magic Johnson was appreciative of both youngsters. Technically, two rookies are helping the WNBA gain viewership and revenue, which is a phenomenal change that has happened in just one season. The stands are packed with fans; the tickets are getting sold out, and celebrities have started to make a live attendance. This is the real victory for Johnson. The Los Angeles Lakers legend couldn’t help but get reminded of the rivalry he had with Larry Bird in the 80s, which helped the NBA get to the next level.

As mentioned by Dwyane Wade, the WNBA has always had a hero-villain storyline. Now, it’s being starred by Clark and Reese in the lead roles. Although, he is not a fan of the rivalry; he loves the attention the WNBA is getting from it. Magic Johnson is of the similar lines. 

The 5x champion wrote on X, “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.” For instance, the game between the Atlanta Dream and the Indiana Fever on 21st June was shifted to the State Farm Arena after demand for the tickets rose.

Notably, 17,575 fans pulled up that day to watch Caitlin Clark, which included NBA legend Allen Iverson as well. This crowd-pulling capacity from Clark and Reese is what impressed Johnson.

How did the Johnson-Bird rivalry do wonders for the NBA? A look into the viewership

Many athletes do not entertain rivalry, but from a business standpoint, it is an X-factor. Magic Johnson dominated the Western Conference with the Lakers, while Bird topped the East with the Boston Celtics in the 80s. In 1984, Bird and Magic met for the first time in the NBA Finals.

The Celtics got the best of the Lakers, winning 4-3. Bird got his first Finals MVP. The two teams met again in the 1985 Finals, and this time, Johnson completed his revenge. The Lakers defeated the Celtics, 4-2. Johnson averaged 18.3 points and 14 assists in that series, but couldn’t win the Finals.

The scores were tied between Bird and Magic. When they met again in the 1987 Finals, all eyes were on them. The Lakers and the Celtics played a total of 6 games, which attracted a stunning viewership of 24.12 million collectively. The Lakers won the ’87 Finals, 4-2, and this time Johnson got the Finals MVP by averaging 26.2 points and 13 assists. Let’s see if Clark and Reese can do stunning numbers like these.  

Stay tuned for more such updates, and to follow what Shaq’s ex-agent, Leonard Armato, has to say about the infamous Shaq-Kobe feud, Caitlin Clark’s Olympic snub, and more, watch this video: