The World Cup is over, and there's a void to fill as we hit the annual lull in the sports calendar. The good news is the countdown to football starts now. NFL training camps open this week, and we're just weeks away from the first preseason game (we're almost there). We're kicking off a new feature to get you caught up between now and Week 1.

Elsewhere, the WNBA hosts its All-Star Game in Chicago this weekend as the league celebrates its 30th season. This year's All-Star class has some new faces, so we'll catch you up on everything that's happened so far as the league hits its midpoint.

Here's your weekend preview starting with what matters most.

The stakes: The WNBA's 30th season reaches its midpoint as the league brings its All-Star Game to Chicago. This year the format got an overhaul worth mentioning. Two league legends, Cynthia Cooper and Teresa Weatherspoon, served as honorary general managers and drafted their own rosters from the pool of 22 All-Stars, ignoring conference and position entirely. That's how you get Team Coop vs. Team Spoon.

To kick off the draft, a coin flip determined which GM got the leading All-Star vote-getter, and Cooper won it, landing Paige Bueckers, who pulled in over a million fan votes to lead all players. That puts Bueckers and Caitlin Clark on opposite teams, a matchup between two of the league's brightest young stars that's must-watch TV.

What to watch for: This All-Star Game features the reigning MVP, several players who could become the face of the league in a few years, and multiple names with a real Hall of Fame case once their careers are done. Last year, Napheesa Collier set the All-Star Game scoring record with 36 points and took home the $5,150 MVP bonus. The league bumped that bonus up to $20,000 this year, so expect these stars to put on a show.

And don't forget about Friday night. The 3-Point Contest is always one of the more entertaining events of the weekend. Sabrina Ionescu, who won it twice in the last three years, is missing from the field and things got messy. That leaves it wide open and this year's field includes some of the league's best shooters in Marina Mabrey, Azzi Fudd, and Rhyne Howard.

Skin in the Game: Back Marina Mabrey to win the 3-Point Contest (+310). In June she dropped 53 points on the Sparks, tying the all-time WNBA single-game scoring record held by Liz Cambage and A'ja Wilson, and she did it by drilling nine threes to match her own league record for a single game. That wasn't a one-off either. A few days earlier she'd put up 37 with nine more threes against Connecticut. Mabrey is having the breakout year of her career as a first-time All-Star, and she has a quick release which is crucial in this event. If she gets hot, no one in this field can match her. Remember this is for fun, not your rent money.

If you've been locked into the World Cup for the last few weeks, here's what you missed in the WNBA so you’re caught up entering the second half of the season:

The Minnesota Lynx have the league’s best record: The Lynx are 22-6, holding the best record in the WNBA. The most impressive part is they've done it with Napheesa Collier, their best player, not having played a single game until making her season debut yesterday. The No. 2 overall pick, rookie Olivia Miles has come in and instantly become a difference maker. She's the runaway Rookie of the Year favorite, made the All-Star team, and is even drawing MVP mentions. She's been the story of this WNBA season's first half.

Dallas’ Turnaround: The Wings were one of the league’s worst teams last year. It was expected they would begin to improve after some savvy offseason moves and securing the No. 1 pick for a second year in a row but most didn’t expect them to hold a 18-9 record and become a true title contender led by star second-year player Paige Bueckers.

A’ja Wilson is chasing a fifth MVP: Wilson is putting up another dominant season, leading the league in scoring and blocks putting Las Vegas in the title mix once again. She's already the only four-time MVP in league history, and a fifth would extend a record no one else has come close to. Right now it's hers to lose.

What’s going on with the Liberty?: The New York Liberty were one of the league’s preseason favorites to win the title as they were viewed as a true super-team given their stacked roster. That has not been the case with this squad so far this year. They’ve lost eight of their last twelve games due to a mix of injuries and inconsistency under first-year head coach Chris DeMarco. Can they right the ship in the second half of the season?

With the preseason about two weeks out and training camp opening across the league this week, it's a good time to revisit the offseason's biggest moves and how they'll shape what we see on the practice field.

Myles Garrett to the Rams: Arguably the single biggest move of the offseason. Garrett going from Cleveland to Los Angeles takes the Rams from contender to arguable Super Bowl favorite, and he's joining a defense that also added star corner Trent McDuffie. There's a chance it gets even better: Aaron Donald, retired since 2023, has been spotted working out at the team's facility, with a decision on a comeback expected during camp.

Tua vs. Penix in Atlanta: Tua Tagovailoa signed with the Falcons after Miami released him. He will now compete with Michael Penix Jr., who's still working back from a torn ACL for the starting job. Tua has the early edge because Penix hasn't been cleared for full-team drills, but that could easily change once he's healthy. This one may run right up to Week 1.

Murray vs. McCarthy in Minnesota: Arizona released Kyler Murray, and the Vikings signed him to compete with J.J. McCarthy, who struggled in his first healthy season. McCarthy will have to improve quickly and show he’s a much different player than we saw last year in order to beat out Kyler.

Cousins and Mendoza in Las Vegas: The Raiders took Fernando Mendoza No. 1 overall after his undefeated Heisman season at Indiana, but signed veteran Kirk Cousins this offseason. Reports suggest the plan is for Cousins to start the entire season while Mendoza sits and learns, which would be unusual for a No. 1 pick. If Mendoza outplays him in camp, that plan gets tested quickly.

Must-watch:

Worth tuning in:

— Backdrop Sports

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