Houston Rockets sideline reporter Vanessa Richardson leaving Space City Home Network for role at ESPN

The Houston Rockets will need a new sideline reporter. Vanessa Richardson, who had been in the role for the last four seasons, announced on social media that she'd be leaving Space City Home Network, which broadcasts Rockets and Astros games, for an expanded role at ESPN. "Serving as sideline reporter of the Rocktes for the past four seasons did not just change my career, it changed my life," Richardson said in her goodbye statement. "The magic was not only in broadcasting the games, it was in the day-to-day. I watched every practice, every shootaround, and witnessed the players grow up in real time. " … Thank you to everyone I worked with, especially my broadcast partners Craig and Ryan, John and Jim, and the MANY brilliant folks behind the scenes at SCHN. I'm proud that we covered the team with integrity and had fun doing it." Richardson joined the Rockets broadcast team after seven months at ESPN Radio Houston as radio host and NFL reporter. Before that, she spent two and a half years as a Sports Reporter and Anchor at local TV network KPRC, according to her LinkedIn.