“Hit Him Right Behind His Neck” – Magic Johnson Gives Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese a Page Out of His Book

Winning Time dramatized that brief rivalry within the Lakers but Magic Johnson gave a new perspective on it. Like Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese are feeling the heat right now, Magic Johnson had his own ‘welcome to the NBA’ moment. From his own teammate no less. The ‘megawatt-smiling’ rookie though had his way of earning his stripes. The Los Angeles Sparks owner has seen the tradition continue even in the WNBA. With this class of rookies under the media microscope, he advises some tough tactics to win over the veterans.

Because, as Johnson said on Jimmy Kimmel Live, “veterans are going to test you.” Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese’s rivalry began in the NCAA and went into the WNBA where comparisons to Magic Johnson and Larry Bird persist. Johnson and Bird went head to head in college to the NBA which made both of them famous rivals. Their rivalry was such a big draw, that they alone pulled the NBA out of the tape-delay era to live telecast (Michael Jordan would make it prime-time material in the ’90s and make the currently contested NBA media rights a hot commodity).

He went from Michigan to Los Angeles with a lot of media hype similar to what Clark is getting now. And nothing puts a target on your back than being a media fave. “If they feel that you’ve gotten more money, money publicity, they’re, you know, upset.” That led to the infamous altercation with Lakers veteran, Ron Boone.

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“When I came to my first training camp, first day of practice, Ron Boone…I was looking up to get the rebound he came and hit me real hard behind my neck.” Kimmel was shocked that Magic’s own teammate did that but it’s true. Johnson recalled the same in a documentary and HBO’s Winning Time exaggerated it too. “And he said, ‘take that rookie,’” which spurred Magic to respond in Magic fashion. After giving Boone a hard time in practice, “I ran as fast as I could and I hit him, bam! Right behind his neck!” Not the way HBO depicted it but this is even better.

via Imago

The most he made Boone drop to the floor, “I said don’t forget ‘I’m tough, I’m rough, if you want to play like that we can play like that.’” The rookies should take note as the aftermath of tussling with his teammate was, “All the Lakers players came running up to me and hugged me said, ‘we like you.’” Now, he’s not suggesting Clark hit one of her teammates but he hopes there’s a lesson in this.

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Magic Johnson confirmed he loves the comparisons between himself and Larry Bird with Clark and Reese. Clark, the no.1 draft pick, is already promising in her first month as a pro. Things came to a head when she got fouled during a game against Chicago Sky. Angel Reese was not involved in the scuffle but supported her teammate’s action. Most on the WNBA side contend that Clark will eventually toughen up and play as hard as the veterans.

Because of the comparisons, Magic stated that Clark and Reese are popular but not the best, just the same as he and Bird were popular but not the best until much later. The veterans will put the rookies to the test and they’ll only get better from there.

Magic firmly believes that Clark has the potential to be the best player in the league. She’s already made the WNBA better according to him.

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Stay tuned for more such updates, and to follow what Shaq’s ex-agent, Leonard Armato had to say about the marketing genius, watch this video.