In the last couple of seasons, Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark’s rivalry has been touted as women’s basketball’s next big tussle. The young stars have been pitted against each other right from their college days. The media has also fueled the narrative that Clark and Reese are bitter rivals.
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This hyping of rivalry doesn’t come as a surprise to Cedric Ceballos, who could see it being manufactured from a mile away. After all, it’s been done before.
Given the NBA’s current success, it would be difficult for people to accept that the league was once on the verge of collapse. If Magic Johnson and Larry Bird hadn’t emerged in 1979, professional basketball might not hold the prominent place it does today. Ceballos sees plenty of similarities between the rivalry between the 1980s legends and the budding Clark/Reese competition.
Clark and Reese have both played prominent roles in the WNBA’s skyrocketing popularity. Ceballos believes that, to a degree, this was all part of the plan. A rivalry between the two is simply a cliche of American culture, the former Lakers star explained.
“It’s white, it’s black, it’s this, it’s that, it’s cornbread, it’s city guy, I mean, I can go on and on and on,” Ceballos said on Byron Scott’s Fast Break.
“The rivalry … You got the rich, you got the poor. Magic, even though they were poor, he came across as the flashy … Larry Bird came in with jeans on, [a] stanky t-shirt, and a cowboy hat or whatever. And that was that part,” added the former forward who had an 11-year NBA career from 1990 to 2001.
“One, Larry and Magic were unbelievable. These two are the same way, two different styles,” Ceballos said of Clark and Reese. The former All-Star drew comparisons between the two rivalries before explaining the stark contrast between the rising WNBA stars and how they are viewed. He doesn’t believe the two are treated equally by the media.
“Caitlin is straightforward. Obviously, the range is bananas, her skills are bananas,” Ceballos continued. “And Reese is a bully, she wanna hit somebody … And it’s amazing how the things that Caitlin has done and wasn’t criticized for, and then Reese goes and rings her, and she is criticized.”
When it comes down to it, though, there’s one thing that Reese has over Clark that makes Ceballos rate the Chicago Sky star higher. Clark has dominated at every level of women’s basketball. But despite her multi-faceted skill set, the Indiana Fever star has yet to bring home any championship.
“I’m a winner, I want a winner. You guys ask me my biggest accolades, were those who won. The best person to come out of Fullerton. Two individuals who got rings and gold medals, winning is everything,” Ceballos said.
“So I wouldn’t give [Clark] that because she hasn’t won anything. I would give Reese the nod because she won, she won a National Championship,” he added.
Reese and Clark are just beginning their professional journeys, laying the groundwork for what should be a long battle in the league. Both have already shown they belong in the pros and haven’t shied away from getting a little fiery during their matchups. Considering their intense competitive spirits, this rivalry won’t be cooling down anytime soon.
