Britney Spears alleges assault after rough treatment by Victor Wembanyama’s security outside a Las Vegas restaurant when she tapped the athlete’s shoulder while trying to greet him.
Singer Britney Spears is asking for an apology after accusing a member of a star NBA player Victor Wembanyama’s security detail of striking her outside a Las Vegas restaurant when she tried to greet the San Antonio Spurs player.
In a tweet about the incident, Britney Spears does not name Wembanyama, but she did refer to public comments he made to reporters about the encounter hours before. The 41-year-old Spears says she saw an athlete at two different hotels Wednesday night, deciding to “approach him and congratulate him on his success” at the second hotel, outside a restaurant.
Spears alleged that after she tapped him on the shoulder, a member of his security detail “backhanded me in the face,” knocking off her glasses and nearly causing her to fall. The singer says she is still waiting for an apology from the player, his security, and his team.
The 19-year-old Wembanyama was the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft last month and is expected to play in the NBA’s summer league starting Friday in Las Vegas.
Before Spears’ tweet, Wembanyama provided a different perspective on the events while meeting with reporters in Las Vegas. He said that “there was one person calling me,” but the Spurs security had told him not to stop for anyone, as doing so might draw a crowd. He said someone “grabbed me from behind, not on my shoulder.”
“I don’t know with how much force, but security pushed her away,” said Wembanyama, adding that he did not know the woman was Britney Spears until hours later. “I didn’t stop to look, so I kept walking and enjoyed a nice dinner.”
Spears said she was “not prepared for what happened” and that it was “super embarrassing” to discuss publicly, but that “I think it’s important to share this story and to urge people in the public eye to set an example and treat all people with respect.”
At over seven feet tall, Wembanyama is one of the most heralded NBA prospects in recent years, averaging more than 20 points and ten rebounds per game last season.
