Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese Rivalry Like Magic And Bird, Jemele Hill Says

Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese may not be the best of friends, but their careers will forever be tied to each other's ... so says Jemele Hill, who sees early comparisons to Magic Johnson and Larry Bird!!

The Atlantic reporter joined Harvey and Charles on "TMZ Live" on Tuesday to discuss the ongoing situation between CC and AR ... and she believes both stars need each other -- comparing it to the Lakers and Celtics legends' on-court battles during their respective playing days.

"Larry Bird and Magic Johnson had the most watched men's national championship game in history," Hill said. "They had a rivalry from that game and they brought all that with them to the NBA."

If you recall, Reese taunted Clark with John Cena's famous "You Can't See Me" gesture during the 2023 women's national championship game ... the same gesture Clark used in the Elite Eight and the Final Four that very same year.

Hill said that's when the conversation around them changed entirely.

"Caitlin Clark was certainly surging in popularity before her and Angel Reese crossed paths," she said. "But the moment Angel Reese did the [you can't see me gesture], this rivalry and the conversation around them both went to a completely different level."

When asked why it seems like people are honing in on CC more than Reese ... Hill attributed it to who Clark is off the court.

"Not only is she good, not only is she a record breaker, not only does she have an electric style of play," Hill said. "But she's white, she's straight and she's from Iowa. So you have an underdog story that's in there. You have somebody [that's] white [and] that matters in this country. It mattered for Larry Bird, too! People who had not seen themselves dominate at a level from that particular place."

Hill also mentioned positional discrimination as a reason for folks honing in on Clark more than Reese ... citing how Kareem Abdul-Jabbar -- a legendary center -- tends to be left out of "GOAT" discussions due to the position he played.

For many people, Reese is being made out to be the villain in Clark's hero story ... and while the Chi Barbie said she's happy to play the role, Hill reminded us of the hooper's last press conference in college ... when she displayed a different mindset over it all.

"She talked about the weight and the toll of having to face death threats," Hill said "Having to be called racist names for the last couple years simply because of her competitive rivalry with Caitlin Clark."