CBA negotiations loom large during WNBA All-Star Weekend

The GIST: From a shoe phone capturing all the action to the StudBudz streaming the non-stop party, WNBA All-Star Weekend truly left no crumbs…but players are still hungry for their rightful piece of the pie.

⭐ Minnesota Lynx Napheesa Collier dominates All-Star Game (ASG): Add another accolade to her lengthy résumé — Collier dropped an ASG–record 36 points to earn MVP honors on Saturday. Another key to Team Collier’s convincing 151–131 win over Team Clark? The Seattle Storm’s Skylar Diggins tallying the first-ever ASG triple-double. When the All-Stars align…

🗽 NY Liberty sweep All-Star Friday night: Natasha Cloud is a perfect one-for-one in Skills Challenges, winning Friday’s opening event in a blistering 36.4 seconds, before a generous Sabrina Ionescu became just the second player to win the W’s 3-Point Contest more than once, her second victory in three years. That seafoam trophy case is looking quite full.

🤝 Labor negotiations take center stage in Indianapolis: Collective bargaining agreement (CBA) talks between the league and the Women’s Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) loomed large over the weekend festivities — especially when players suited up in “Pay Us What You Owe Us” warm-up shirts ahead of Saturday’s ASG.

• The bold statement underscores the wide gap between the WNBA and WNBPA when it comes to revenue sharing and salary structure, though the parties reportedly made progress surrounding family planning and retirement benefits during Thursday’s in-person meeting.

• That said, the WNBPA plans to stand firm ahead of the league’s October 31st negotiation deadline, especially after a record-breaking number of players came to the table on Thursday. This battle has only just begun.