It kinda hit me while you guys were discussing, but Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese, in some ways parallel Magic/Bird.
Not saying the WNBA has that kind of runway, but the NBA leaned into Magic/Bird which was a college rivalry that continued into the pros.
The similarities are in personality too.
I also don’t think you can ignore the race element too. Bird and Magic being white and black played a role in engaging everyone. I think Reese and Clark have that same appeal. If you’re the WNBA, you want to almost rig it for their teams to be the best two teams 5 years from now.
Maybe I’m overthinking it, but I think the WNBA should be studying what the NBA did with Magic/Bird in the 80s.
Not saying the WNBA has that kind of runway, but the NBA leaned into Magic/Bird which was a college rivalry that continued into the pros.
The similarities are in personality too.
I also don’t think you can ignore the race element too. Bird and Magic being white and black played a role in engaging everyone. I think Reese and Clark have that same appeal. If you’re the WNBA, you want to almost rig it for their teams to be the best two teams 5 years from now.
Maybe I’m overthinking it, but I think the WNBA should be studying what the NBA did with Magic/Bird in the 80s.
