Mavericks simulate Wembanyama's presence with hilarious practice drill

The San Antonio Spurs have been the talk of the town in the NBA since Victor Wembanyama crash-landed in the 2-1-0 and brought them back to national relevance this summer. Basketball fans were clamoring to see the extraterrestrial teenager showcase his generational talents as soon as he arrived stateside, and he somehow surpassed every expectation when he suited up for a handful of preseason games with his new teammates.

Wembanyama was dominant on the defensive end for all 83 minutes and 25 seconds of his exhibition action for the Silver and Black, erasing shots at the rim, suffocating ballhandlers on the perimeter, and mucking things up in the passing lanes with his unbelievable eight-foot wingspan. No one has found an answer for overcoming the massive forward, and opponents are already formulating unique game plans for countering his length.

Gregg Popovich and company are only three days from facing the Dallas Mavericks in their season opener at Frost Bank Center, and their in-state adversaries are preparing for their first meeting with Wembanyama in the most hilarious way imaginable. To simulate the never-ending appendages of the Parisian phenom, assistant coach God Shammgod has run around practice defending players with padded blocking guards and yelling Wemby.

While that drill might seem laughable, it makes sense that the Mavericks would want to rehearse shooting over otherworldly high-hand contests at practice before coming in contact with the first overall pick. Wembanyama averaged a league-leading 2.8 blocks per game in limited run during the preseason, and the 7-foot-3 rookie will have a chance to send more shots into the stands when he matches up against Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving on Wednesday night.