Megan Rapinoe Backs Angel Reese’s Fine Stance On Media
Angel Reese said she would take a fine before going to media and feeling like her back was against the wall, and Megan Rapinoe backed that stance as Reese’s latest public stand against press expectations. Rapinoe said Reese is taking her power back, and she called it a model for athletes who want more control over how they handle interviews.
Rapinoe On Reese
“I think Angel is a really great example of her taking her power back,” Rapinoe said on A Touch More. She added, “Angel was set up as a villain before she was even in the WNBA, and now she’s making it clear that she’s gonna protect her peace.”
Reese’s comment came during an appearance on Michelle Obama’s podcast, where she said, “I’ll take a fine before I have to go media and feel like my back is against the wall.” Craig Robinson said he would pay any fines Reese received as a result.
Media Rules And Pushback
Athletes are typically required to take part in news conferences and media availabilities during the season, with league rules shaped alongside media leaders and enforced by team public relations staff. Rapinoe did not frame Reese’s stance as a refusal to engage with reporters forever; she said Reese is not saying she will never do media, only that she will not just stand up and take anything that is thrown at her.
Rapinoe also pushed the issue beyond one player, saying, “I think this is a great example for all athletes and all female athletes of, ‘I don’t really have to do this.’” She added, “It might mean I get a fine, but at some point, we have to adjust the expectations that journalists can just go up there and throw any kind of narrative, and we’re the ones, athletes are the ones who are going to either field that or dispel that or say it’s not true or try and combat it.”
Reese And The WNBA
The backdrop to Reese’s stance is her history of being a frequent target of vicious criticism and fabricated headlines during her LSU career and early WNBA career. She also worked with the Chicago Sky on a trade to the Atlanta Dream this offseason to reset her career, and Rapinoe said Reese is making it clear that she will protect her peace.
For players, the immediate takeaway is practical: Reese is drawing a line around media access even if it costs her money, and Rapinoe is signaling that more athletes may follow that lead when they feel the coverage has gone too far. That puts the pressure on the standard itself, not just on Reese, because the fine becomes part of the cost of saying no.
