Larry Bird Johnson and Bird were competitors during their respective careers as players for the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics.

WNBA rookies Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese have an on-court rivalry that keeps basketball fans on the edge of their seats. NBA legend Magic Johnson said the duo feels very similar to his interaction with fellow NBA star Larry Bird.

NBA fans remember Johnson and Bird’s 1980s rivalry, as the two frequently faced off when playing for the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics, respectively. Now, many, including Johnson, 64, are finding parallels between the NBA legends and Reese and Clark.

Johnson posted on X (previously Twitter) on the WNBA stars who have revitalized the sport. “When I think about Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese’s impact on the game, they remind me a lot of Larry Bird and me,” he said.

Johnson went on to say, “Our first NCAA Championship game, Indiana State vs. Michigan State, set the all-time men’s basketball viewership record. Caitlin and Angel’s 2023 NCAA Championship game and their 2024 Elite Eight games had the greatest viewership at the time.

Clark, 22, and her matches with Reese, 22, have proven to be must-see events since their college days at the University of Iowa and Louisiana State University. But the heated competition does not imply that the two are real-life rivals.

In April, during a news conference for a rematch of last year’s NCAA tournament championship game, Clark described her relationship with Reese as “great competitors.”

Reese revealed to reporters that their friendship is not personal. “Once we leave those lines, if I see you walking down the street, it’s like, ‘Hey, girl, what’s up?'” Let’s hang out.

“I think people just interpret it as if we hate each other,” she added. Sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the greatest stories, including celebrity news and human interest topics.Reese added, “Caitlin Clark and I don’t detest each other. I want everyone to understand that. It’s basically an extremely competitive game.” Clark praised Reese after the LSU Tigers defeated Iowa Hawkeyes in the NCAA playoffs. “LSU deserved it, they played so well, and like I said, I’m a big fan of hers,” Clark informed the crowd.