INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana Pacers power forward Obi Toppin surprised 10 children from the Boys & Girls Club of Indianapolis with a shopping spree at Dick’s Sporting Goods in Castleton Square Mall on Sunday.

Every child received a $150 DICK’S Sporting Goods gift card, and Toppin added an additional $100 gift card for each child. In total, the children each were given $250 to shop for holiday gifts, sports gear, and apparel.

“I always spoil my kids with a whole bunch of gifts around the holidays,” said Toppin. “So, being able to be in the position I’m in, being able to come back and give some kids a shopping spree experience is amazing so I feel grateful for it.”

Learn more about DICK’S Sporting Goods mission to support youth sports and strengthen communities here.

LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) — The IOC took a big step toward reintegrating Russia and Belarus into world sports Thursday by advising governing bodies to let the countries’ youth teams and athletes compete with their full identity of national flag and anthem.

Athletes have “a fundamental right to access sport across the world, and to compete free from political interference or pressure from governmental organizations,” the International Olympic Committee said in a statement.

That message in support of athletes will be welcomed in Russia and Israel, whose athletes have faced recent discrimination, and comes less than three years out from the 2028 Los Angeles Summer Games that risks facing political crosswinds in the United States.

The updated strategy on Russia was set at a so-called Olympic Summit — a meeting chaired by IOC president Kirsty Coventry that invites key stakeholders from the Olympic family.

“It was recognized that implementation by the stakeholders will take time,” the IOC said in a statement, adding that each sport’s governing body should decide how to define youth events.

The IOC’s latest move to ease the sporting isolation of Russia can apply to its own Youth Olympic Games which are held next year in Dakar, Senegal, from Oct. 31 to Nov. 13.

Russian teams have been fully excluded from international soccer, track and field and other sports since the full military invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, while Russian and Belarusian athletes in winter sports are now starting to return with neutral status ahead of the Milan Cortina Olympics in February.

A small group of Russian and Belarusian athletes competed as neutrals without their national identity at the Paris Summer Games last year, where those countries were banned from team sports.

AP Winter Olympics at https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics

Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

Player-Curated Bags

The player bags continue to be a highlight of Devils Youth Foundation Day. Each player selected items based on their interests and added signed pieces and Devils gear.

Nico Hischier Bag

A pizza-themed collection that reflects Nico’s love of cooking. The bag includes specialty pizza tools, a cookbook, signed memorabilia, and Devils Youth Foundation items.

Jack Hughes Bag

Jack’s bag centers around his interest in reading and downtime. It features comfort items, books, signed pieces, and Devils accessories.

Luke Hughes Bag

Luke curated a gaming-inspired package that includes entertainment items, signed memorabilia, and Devils Youth Foundation gear.

Dougie Hamilton Bag

Dougie’s bag brings together creative and lifestyle items along with signed pieces and branded merchandise.

Timo Meier Bag

Timo selected items that reflect his personal style, including a signature accessory, Devils gear, and signed memorabilia.

Jesper Bratt Bag

Jesper’s bag includes curated lifestyle items with a Swedish touch, a custom journal, signed pieces, and Devils Youth Foundation merchandise.

Jacob Markstrom Bag

Jacob assembled a collection that blends tech, food, and fitness items along with signed memorabilia and Devils accessories.

Supporting Youth Across New Jersey

Funds raised through the auction allow the Devils Youth Foundation to continue supporting thousands of young people across the state. The Foundation works with nonprofit partners in Newark and throughout New Jersey to deliver academic support, expand access to sports, provide healthy meals, and create safe spaces for kids and teens.

Fans can browse all auction items and place bids now through December 13.

DURHAM, N.C. (AP) — There’s a youth movement at USA Basketball camp this weekend with young WNBA players Caitlin Clark, Paige Bueckers and Angel Reese making their debuts with the national team.

They’ve been competing against each other in college and the WNBA over the past few years and Bueckers was happy to have them as teammates again. Many of the young players had competed together for the U.S. on American youth teams. They’ll get their first taste of the senior national team in a camp at Duke this weekend.

“It’s great competing with them for a change instead of against them and I think we really bring out the best of each other,” Bueckers said. “I think that’s what USA Basketball does. Just so many amazing athletes and women coming together for one common goal. I think that’s always brought out the best of each other. It’s really fun to be able to share the court and be on the same side for a change.”

Bueckers gave the group the nickname “Young and Turnt” — a phrase used by youth players in the past to describe their high energy and excitement playing with USA Basketball.

The trio, along with other senior national newcomers Cameron Brink, Aliyah Boston and JuJu Watkins, are the future of USA Basketball with veterans Diana Taurasi and Sue Bird retired and other longtime fixtures in the lineup nearing the end of their careers. The U.S. has won eight straight Olympic gold medals and four consecutive world championships. Olympic veterans Kahleah Copper, Jackie Young and Kelsey Plum will also be at the three-day camp.

“Obviously there’s some vets and there’s the older class who have already came in and won gold medals, and they have that experience,” Bueckers said. “So as a younger group, you want to ask them questions, soak it up, be a sponge. Like, get their experience and then grow in our experience as well.”

The average age of the 17 players at the camp is just over 25. Bueckers said having so many young players who have been together brings a comfort level.

“There’s a familiarity of competing with and against each other,” she said. “We kind of know each other and it’s more comfortable that way, too. We’re all coming in and we’re having the same expectations of just wanting to go in there and compete and have fun and bring our vibes in and just be us.”

Bird, who is now the managing director for USA Basketball, said this camp will hopefully give the new players a look at international basketball at its highest level.

“Really have it be a tone setter,” said Bird, who helped the U.S. win five Olympic gold medals as a player. “What is it to wear USA on your chest? What is it to be on this team? Whether it’s a World Cup qualifier we’ll get to in March or hopefully the gold-medal game of a big competition, you have to set the tone on Day 1.”

Though many invites went out for the camp, Bird said past Olympians such as A’ja Wilson, Breanna Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu and Napheesa Collier had other commitments.

“There’s a lot of moving parts, that’s always how it is for USA Basketball,” Bird said. “For the young players, it’s a great opportunity to get their first feel and first taste.”

___

AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball

Copyright
© 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.

DURHAM, N.C. (AP) — There’s a youth movement at USA Basketball camp this weekend with young WNBA players Caitlin Clark, Paige Bueckers and Angel Reese making their debuts with the national team.

They’ve been competing against each other in college and the WNBA over the past few years and Bueckers was happy to have them as teammates again. Many of the young players had competed together for the U.S. on American youth teams. They’ll get their first taste of the senior national team in a camp at Duke this weekend.

“It’s great competing with them for a change instead of against them and I think we really bring out the best of each other,” Bueckers said. “I think that’s what USA Basketball does. Just so many amazing athletes and women coming together for one common goal. I think that’s always brought out the best of each other. It’s really fun to be able to share the court and be on the same side for a change.”

Bueckers gave the group the nickname “Young and Turnt” — a phrase used by youth players in the past to describe their high energy and excitement playing with USA Basketball.

The trio, along with other senior national newcomers Cameron Brink, Aliyah Boston and JuJu Watkins, are the future of USA Basketball with veterans Diana Taurasi and Sue Bird retired and other longtime fixtures in the lineup nearing the end of their careers. The U.S. has won eight straight Olympic gold medals and four consecutive world championships. Olympic veterans Kahleah Copper, Jackie Young and Kelsey Plum will also be at the three-day camp.

“Obviously there’s some vets and there’s the older class who have already came in and won gold medals, and they have that experience,” Bueckers said. “So as a younger group, you want to ask them questions, soak it up, be a sponge. Like, get their experience and then grow in our experience as well.”

The average age of the 17 players at the camp is just over 25. Bueckers said having so many young players who have been together brings a comfort level.

“There’s a familiarity of competing with and against each other,” she said. “We kind of know each other and it’s more comfortable that way, too. We’re all coming in and we’re having the same expectations of just wanting to go in there and compete and have fun and bring our vibes in and just be us.”

Bird, who is now the managing director for USA Basketball, said this camp will hopefully give the new players a look at international basketball at its highest level.

“Really have it be a tone setter,” said Bird, who helped the U.S. win five Olympic gold medals as a player. “What is it to wear USA on your chest? What is it to be on this team? Whether it’s a World Cup qualifier we’ll get to in March or hopefully the gold-medal game of a big competition, you have to set the tone on Day 1.”

Though many invites went out for the camp, Bird said past Olympians such as A’ja Wilson, Breanna Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu and Napheesa Collier had other commitments.

“There’s a lot of moving parts, that’s always how it is for USA Basketball,” Bird said. “For the young players, it’s a great opportunity to get their first feel and first taste.”

AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball

Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

Most youth soccer teams get sponsorships from local pizzerias or a parent’s local business, but Oak Park’s Los Jaguares are being sponsored by the alternative metal band Deftones. 

The Sacramento band’s frontman, Chino Moreno, born Camillo Wong Moreno, is Mexican American. Moreno formed the band with guitarist Stephen Carpenter and drummer Abe Cunningham in 1988. Bassist Chi Cheng joined the band in 1990 and keyboardist Frank Delgado joined in 1999. They have released 10 studio albums, with their latest, “Private Music,” released this year. 

Los Jaguares is a team of 11-14-year-old boys and girls who are now sporting black and green Deftones soccer jerseys. They designed custom jerseys and a soccer ball that make up the team’s official kits for 2026.

The Deftones created the jerseys with GOAL Projects. 

“The collaboration brings Deftones back to the neighborhood where the band began, aligning their creative identity with the team’s local story,” a statement in the GOALS Project site says. “Together with GOAL Projects, the band co-designed Los Jaguares’ official 2026 jersey and a limited-edition soccer ball, both released to help strengthen the program that serves 11–14-year-olds in one of Sacramento’s most underserved areas.”

According to the GOALS Project website, Los Jaguares is made up largely of first-generation Mexican immigrant youth.

The band invited the Los Jaguares players to attend the Aftershock Festival in October. Following the show, the young players met the band backstage, where Deftones presented the new jerseys in person. 

“When we heard about this group of kids growing up in our hometown in need of support, we jumped at the opportunity,” Deftones shared. “Soccer and music are both about connection and expression. We’re stoked to be able to give back and make a positive change in their lives, and we hope to encourage them to continue pursuing their dreams despite any odds.”

“For the students benefiting from this collaboration, being seen and acknowledged by one of our most successful local bands is powerful,” Street Soccer USA Sacramento managing director Lisa Wrightsman said. “Oak Park is home to many underserved and underrepresented families. Having the Deftones shine a light on them is something they’ll remember forever — and an opportunity to play more, work hard, and be proud.”

For those who want to sport a Deftones jersey and support the local youth program, the band is offering a limited number on sale at shopdeftones.com. The soccer ball has already sold out. Proceeds from the release directly support Street Soccer USA Sacramento, helping keep soccer free for every participant and covering essential needs such as coaching, field access, equipment and wraparound support.