Having wicked dreams

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.

The GIST: And just like that, the UEFA Women’s Euro semis are set. But before we preview what’s to come, we simply must recap the jaw-dropping action from this weekend’s quarter-finals (QF). Let’s go.

😱 World No. 3 Germany goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger leads her team to penalty shootout win: Berger channeled her inner Elphaba against No. 10 France on Saturday, recording multiple gravity-defying saves to help her squad advance despite competing down a player for much of the game thanks to an early red card.

• Onto the next one: Die Nationalelf faces No. 2 Spain — who, as expected, prevailed over hosts No. 23 Switzerland 2–0 in Friday’s QF — on Wednesday.

👀 But first, it’s No. 5 England vs. No. 13 Italy in tomorrow’s 3 p.m. ET semi: Sadly amid disturbing allegations of racist abuse directed at defender Jess Carter, the defending champ Lionesses are preparing for a second straight semis appearance. In good news for England fans, captain Leah Williamson will likely be available after an injury scare.

• This England squad is notorious for their slow starts, an especially bad look against Italy, who have scored first in all four of their matches this tourney. One Italian player to watch? Captain Cristiana Girelli, who scored twice in their QF dub. Bellissimo.

⬆️ One-upping is critical in sports — the greatest rivalries are born from athletes out-dueling each other.

That’s why we created the OneUp Watch in partnership with Gainbridge®, a place for us to highlight the athletic feats that caught our eye last week, like…

1️⃣ Catcher Cal Raleigh’s historic Home Run Derby win.

2️⃣ Forward Cristiana Girelli’s two-goal game, which sent world No. 13 Italy to the UEFA Women’s Euro semis.

3️⃣ And Sabrina Ionescu’s unbelievable 3-Point Contest win at the WNBA All-Star Weekend.

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