San Antonio Spurs' Rivals Team Up In Pickup Game: Preparing for Wembanyama?

At only 20 years old, Victor Wembanyama went toe to toe with some of the best NBA players of all time during the gold medal game at the 2024 Paris Olympics. While Wembanyama and France fell short, it was clear that the San Antonio Spurs would have one of the scariest players in the league this season.

Wembanyama is expected to be a more complete offensive weapon, although his calling card will still be his defense. Standing 7-4 with an insane eight-foot wingspan, he led the NBA in blocks last season and was terrifying to would-be shooters.

As players enjoy their offseason, plenty of "just for fun" pickup games are held across the country, and some of the NBA's top talent participates. Usually, these games are a chance to hone their one-on-one skills or just play with friends they normally have to compete against, but this summer's runs have a different feel to them.

Drew Hanlen, a for-hire freelance basketball coach best known for his social media presence, held a camp this past weekend and invited several players. Evan Mobley, Kevin Durant, and Chet Holmgren were all invited, as well as Darius Garland, Jalen Green, AJ Johnson, and Moses Moody.

All of the players listed above are known for their shot-blocking or their insane wingspans. All of them can meet players at the rim or poke the ball loose, something Wembanyama is very adept at.

Was this group hand-selected to prepare for games against Wembanyama? Probably not, although the Dallas Mavericks employed drastic measures to prepare for Wembanyama before their season debut last year, with just Wemby's Summer League tape to base their practice on.

As Wembanyama's defensive prowess continues to dominate the league and head to heights previously unseen, expect teams and players to take measures to get around him.

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Will it be enough? That's still to be seen, although Wembanyama is the favorite to win Defensive Player of the Year this season.