Dane Moore, who covers the Minnesota Timberwolves for his own podcast operation, is refusing to work with ESPN in the wake of the company's layoffs.
The NBA reporter shared a locker room interview clip on social media. In the clip, T-Wolves star Anthony Edwards describes how he's learned to embrace being double-teamed. Edwards has come a long way over the past 14 months, as Moore shared some clips of the NBA star voicing his frustration over double teams in past interviews.
The clips went viral online.
Meanwhile, the ESPN Assignment Desk account, as it often does, reached out, presumably to ask for permission to use his clip on social media: "Hello, Dane! Please see your DMs for a message from us!"
But Moore is refusing to work with them.
The NBA reporter fired back online
"Hello, Dane! Please see your DMs for a message from us!" the assignment desk said.
He replied: "You do not have permission to use it - as I've told you numerous times in DMs. Shouldn't have laid off all those reporters if you wanted locker room content."
ESPN asked him for permission, which is the right thing to do on social media - not everyone does it - but Dane was well within his rights to refuse.
The Worldwide Leader in Sports has let go of several of its reporters in recent years, as it pours more money and resources into figures like Pat McAfee, Stephen A. Smith, Mike Greenberg and others.
But it comes at a cost, too - and the NBA reporter is showing exactly what that is - less locker room access and footage.
Moore's clapback at ESPN has received more than 60,000 likes.
Copyright The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved