ESPN’s Holly Rowe says ‘I’m harassing women’ over Angel Reese criticism | John Root

The WNBA and many of its media outlets are politically liberal and often treat criticism of the league and many of its players, Caitlin Clark excludes, as microaggressions or attacks on women’s sports as a whole. That is strange, because they have done little to protect the integrity and impartiality of sports, rather they support policies and politicians, in the opinion of critics, they undermine it.

A good example of taking criticism to an unfounded extreme is a self-proclaimed “anti-racist”, as she says in her X bio, ESPN’s Holly Rowe.

After one of my posts appeared this week, highlighting Reese’s worst preseason game back in Chicago (he was traded to the Atlanta Dream this offseason), I argued that his opinion will be as memorable or impactful as Caitlin Clark 20 years from now is laughable. In response to the repost on Instagram, Rowe wrote, “YO @JonnyRoot_ stop harassing women.”

ANGEL REESE LOOKS SORRY IN PRE-SEASON GAME AGAINST HIS TEAM HE WAS HUMAN

Before I respond to that asinine claim, which Rowe has made no attempt to prove in the comments section, or when I interact with him individually in DMs, let’s talk about the Angel Reese quote I mentioned.

Reese said in 2024, during her time with Clark’s rookie season, following a game between the Chicago Sky and Indiana Fever in which Sky teammate Chennedy Carter blindsided Caitlin Clark, a game Reese was seen celebrating from the bench, “We’re going to look back in 20 years and be the same, the reason we watch women’s basketball is because Clark is one person). Again.”

Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese reacts to a foul by Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark on May 17, 2025, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. (Grace Smith/IndyStar)

Reese has lived in Caitlin Clark’s shadow since they were drafted and took a nasty role after he taunted Clark in LSU’s national championship win over Iowa. He finds it difficult to accept that many fans are attracted to the WNBA to watch a player like Steph Curry in Clark, known for his deep shooting position, instead of a player associated with “Mebounds,” a nickname related to missed shots and offensive rebounds.

People like me who point out this fact are not “bullies,” and criticizing Reese doesn’t make me or anyone else a bigot against women in general. That claim is baseless, and shows how much the WNBA media has handled nearly all of Reese’s criticism since entering the league.

ANGEL REESE LAUGHED WHILE CALLING THE ONE GAME WHICH MADE WNBA HISTORY

I don’t believe any WNBA player, or female athlete in this century, has been more protected and promoted by mainstream sports media than Angel Reese. The media and the league raised her profile to such an extent that the WNBA even investigated allegations that fans directed racist comments and “monkey noises” at the then-Chicago Sky forward, though the league later said it could not substantiate the allegations. NBA 2K26 also featured Reese on the cover of its WNBA edition. ESPN’s Monica McNutt called for racism in the way Clark-Reese was discussed during the 2025 season. The Wall Street Journal featured Reese alongside WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson on its magazine cover, even after Caitlin Clark broke multiple records, filled stadiums, and set new WNBA broadcast marks.

Reese was presented by the media as the champion of the WNBA and the face of the league, but many fans, including millions of newcomers, showed much less interest in her games, merchandise, and collectibles than they did in Caitlin Clark’s. The gap in popularity is not closed. However, critics say the media often pushes viewers to ignore Reese’s struggle and accept her as an important figure who should face little criticism, framing her play as a broad attack on women. Some argue that that means it’s less important than his finish on the rim.

ABC sideline reporter Holly Rowe walks off the field before the game between the Tennessee Volunteers and the Arkansas Razorbacks at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium on Oct. 5, 2024. (Photos by Nelson Chenault/Imagn)

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The truth is, Reese is the second player in the WNBA despite a solid college career, and she may be remembered more for her mistakes than her impact on the court. Sharing these clips and pointing out how far she is from matching the level of impact and passing that Caitlin Clark has brought to the game is not something I will apologize for.

I’m not a bully. I call it like I see it. The WNBA media could use a lot of that if they want to capitalize on their newfound popularity.