We’ve all seen it before, when a budding rivalry eerily similar to rivalries of yesteryears. Joy Taylor threw a curveball on Cam Newton’s Funky Friday podcast when she compared Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese’s rivalry to the legendary Bird–Magic dynamic. She didn’t stop there—she said she tested the comparison on Magic Johnson himself, and he agreed.
“I’ve also given this comparison to THE Magic Johnson and he has agreed with me. Just for the record, for everyone out there who thinks that I’m crazy, literally Magic Johnson agrees,” Taylor said.
It was a moment that caught fans—and social media—off guard. Reddit threads lit up with takes like, “Magic’s nod just validated what we’ve all been feeling—Caitlin Clark changed the game.” Others dug in deeper, questioning whether the comparison overstated the impact of Caitlin Clark’s rising stardom.
Taylor’s comparison isn’t random noise—it speaks to how Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese have shifted the league’s trajectory. Clark’s rookie season shattered records, transformed the Indiana Fever, and injected massive attention into the WNBA.
That said, the comparison has its critics. Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy called Taylor’s take “the dumbest take I’ve ever heard,” arguing Clark’s fame was already secured before Reese was ever in the picture.
Whether you believe Johnson’s validation or agree with Portnoy’s pushback, one thing stands out: it’s all centered around Caitlin Clark—her influence, her spotlight, and how she, paired in narrative with Angel Reese, is shaping the next era of the league.
Caitlin Clark And Angel Reese Spark Joy Taylor’s Take On What Fuels WNBA Growth
Joy Taylor framed the growing fascination around Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese as more than just hype—it’s the reason the WNBA is booming in new ways.
“Caitlin is not a victim. She is an incredibly great player… one of the most impactful college basketball players, man or woman… It is what they represent, and the conversation that they generate,” Taylor said.
She made it clear that this isn’t just about their stats—it’s about how their rivalry energizes the league. Her reaction chalked their effect up to a broader social shift.
This pushback against the ‘victim narrative’ and the focus on the storytelling moment rooted in real-world fan engagement. A viewer comment voiced, “It’s not just competition—it’s a cultural moment that Caitlin Clark helped redefine.”
Whether you see Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese as rivals or collaborators, Taylor’s words capture a moment where women’s basketball took center stage—and Clark stands at that center.
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Dan has been active in sports since 2016 and has worked behind the scenes as a scriptwriter for basketball, volleyball, and other sports. At a time, Dan has also been working as a sports commentator for CBA Pilipinas. During the pandemic, he has also been actively writing betting articles for CashBet and BetNow.
