ESPN’s Holly Rowe claims I’m ‘bullying women’ due to Angel Reese criticism | Jon Root

The WNBA and much of its media are politically liberal and often treat criticism of the league and many of its players, minus Caitlin Clark, as a microaggression or an attack on women’s sports as a whole. That’s ironic, given that they’ve done little to protect the integrity and fairness of the sport, instead backing policies and politicians that, in critics’ view, undermine it.

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

After one of my posts went viral this week, highlighting an abysmal play from Reese’s preseason return to Chicago (she was traded to the Atlanta Dream this offseason), I argued that the idea she’ll be as memorable or impactful as Caitlin Clark 20 years from now is laughable. In response to a repost on Instagram, Rowe wrote, “YO @JonnyRoot_ stop bullying women.”

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Before I respond to that asinine claim, which Rowe has not tried to substantiate in the comment section, nor when I reached out to her individually in DMs, let’s talk about the Angel Reese quote I mentioned.

Reese said in 2024, during her and Clark’s rookie seasons, following a game between the Chicago Sky and Indiana Fever in which Sky teammate Chennedy Carter blindsided Caitlin Clark, a play Reese was seen celebrating from the bench, “We’ll look back in 20 years and be like, the reason we’re watching women’s basketball isn’t just because of one person (Caitlin Clark). It’s because of me, too.”

Reese has lived in Caitlin Clark’s shadow since they were drafted and took on a villain role after repeatedly taunting Clark in LSU’s national championship win over Iowa. She has struggled to accept that many fans are drawn to the WNBA to watch a Steph Curry-like player in Clark, known for her deep shooting range, rather than a player associated with “Mebounds,” a nickname tied to missed shots and offensive rebounds.

People like me pointing out this reality aren’t “bullies,” and criticizing Reese doesn’t make me or anyone else a bully of women as a whole. That claim is unfounded, and it reflects how much of the WNBA media has treated nearly all criticism of Reese since she entered the league.

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I don’t believe any WNBA player, or women’s athlete this century, has been more protected and promoted by mainstream sports media than Angel Reese. The media and the league have amplified her profile to the point 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 those claims. NBA 2K26 also put Reese on the cover of its WNBA edition. ESPN’s Monica McNutt claimed racial bias in how a Clark-Reese scuffle during the 2025 season was discussed. The Wall Street Journal featured Reese alongside WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson on its magazine cover, even after Caitlin Clark broke numerous records, filled arenas, and set new marks for WNBA broadcasts.

Reese has been presented by the media as a WNBA superstar and a face of the league, but many fans, including millions of newcomers, show far less interest in her games, merchandise, and collectibles than they do in Caitlin Clark’s. The gap in popularity isn’t close. Yet critics say the media often pushes audiences to overlook Reese’s struggles and embrace her as a central figure who should face little criticism, framing negative takes on her play as broader attacks on women. That claim, some argue, is even more off the mark than her finishing around the rim.

The fact is, Reese is a secondary figure in the WNBA despite a strong college career, and she may be remembered more for her missteps than her on-court impact. Sharing these clips and pointing out how far she is from matching the level of impact and transcendence Caitlin Clark has brought to the game isn’t something I’m going to apologize for.

I’m not a bully. I’m calling it as I see it. The WNBA media could use more of that if it wants to capitalize on its newfound popularity.