ESPN reporter Holly Rowe is drawing a line in the sand. After years of watching WNBA star Angel Reese take heat from the press, Rowe has had enough—and she's not afraid to say so.
Reese, a two-time All-Star entering her third season with the Atlanta Dream, has been a lightning rod for criticism ever since she suggested that her own impact on women's basketball deserves recognition alongside Caitlin Clark. “We’ll look back in 20 years and be like, the reason why we’re watching women’s basketball is not just because of one person (Caitlin Clark). It’s because of me, too,” Reese said. Those words didn't sit well with some media members, but Rowe sees a double standard.
The veteran sideline reporter took to social media to call out a specific media personality, writing bluntly: “YO. Stop bullying women.” When the target replied, “Holly…how is this bullying?” Rowe stood firm, refusing to back down. Her defense of Reese has ignited a fresh debate about how female athletes—especially Black women—are treated by the sports media machine.
This isn't the first time Reese has felt targeted. Earlier this year, she made headlines when she chose to accept a WNBA fine rather than fulfill her media obligations. “The media has not always been great for me. And I’ll take a fine. I’ll catch a fine, especially in a WNBA. I’ll have a fine before I have to go to media and feel like my back is against the wall,” she told Michelle Obama. Reese has been open about preferring “safe spaces” with reporters she trusts, such as Taylor Rooks. “I get excited for certain people, like a Taylor. Certain people I know I can talk to,” she added.
Reese’s journey from Chicago to Atlanta this offseason has been marked by high expectations. The Dream are betting big on her as a franchise cornerstone, but the noise around her off-court persona continues to grow. Some critics argue that Reese invites scrutiny by comparing herself to Clark, the league's most marketable star. But Rowe and others contend that the criticism crosses into harassment.
In a league still fighting for respect and visibility, the line between fair criticism and outright bullying can blur. Reese herself has acknowledged the emotional toll: “I don’t think anybody will ever understand (what I’ve been through). I appreciate you guys for making this a safe space for me because, as you said, the media has not always been great for me.”
Rowe’s intervention adds a powerful voice to the conversation. As a longtime reporter who has covered women’s basketball for decades, she’s seen the sport evolve—and she’s not about to let old patterns of negativity drag it down. Whether this moment leads to real change or just another social media firestorm remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: Holly Rowe is done staying silent.
For more on the media dynamics surrounding the WNBA, check out our coverage of the Boston media’s handling of the Vrabel-Russini scandal and Angel Reese’s mature return to Chicago. And if you’re curious about Reese’s latest fashion move, her “Gala Green” kicks are turning heads.
