Spurs rookie Victor Wembanyama addressed allegations Thursday that a member of his security team slapped pop singer Britney Spears at a Las Vegas restaurant Wednesday night. Here’s what you need to know:
Wembanyama told reporters at summer league Thursday that a person “grabbed me from behind,” and that he didn’t see what happened because he continued to walk forward.
Spears released a statement about the incident on social media, saying she “simply tapped him on the shoulder.”
Wembanyama is in Las Vegas for the NBA Summer League, which begins Thursday night.
What Wembanyama said: Wembanyama said Thursday, “Something did happen a little bit when I was walking with some security of the team to some restaurant.”
“We were in a hall that had a lot of people, people coming in, obviously,” Wembanyama said. “One person was coming to me, but we talked with the security to not stop because it’s gonna make a crowd, so I couldn’t stop. … That person grabbed me from behind.
“I didn’t see what happened because I was walking straight and we said don’t stop. But that person grabbed me from behind, not on my shoulder, she grabbed me from behind. So I just know the security pushed her away. I don’t know with how much force, though, but security pushed her away. I didn’t stop to look so I kept walking, enjoyed a nice dinner.” Wembanyama did not name Spears directly.
What Spears said: Spears released a statement on Twitter, saying, “Traumatic experiences are not new to me and I have had my fair share of them.”
“I was not prepared for what happened to me last night,” Spears wrote. “I recognized an athlete in my hotel lobby as I was heading to dinner. I later went to a restaurant at a different hotel and saw him again. I decided to approach him and congratulate him on his success. It was really loud, so I tapped him on the shoulder to get his attention.
“I am aware of the player’s statement where he mentions ‘I grabbed him from behind,’ but I simply tapped him on the shoulder. His security then back handed me in the face without looking back, in front of a crowd. Nearly knocking me down and causing my glasses off my face.
Spears wrote that she gets “swarmed by people all the time” and, that night, she was swarmed by a group of at least 20 fans.
“My security team didn’t hit any of them,” she wrote. “This story is super embarrassing to share with the world but it’s already out there. However, 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.
Spears said that she has “yet to get a public apology from the player, his security or their organization” and “I hope they will.”
Backstory: Multiple reports confirmed that an incident occurred Wednesday and Spears filed a police report with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department.
“On July 5, 2023, at approximately 11 p.m., LVMPD officers responded to a property in the 3700 block of Las Vegas Boulevard regarding a battery investigation,” the department’s Office of Public Information said. “The incident has been documented on a police report, and no arrest or citations have been issued.”
Wembanyama was the Spurs’ No. 1 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft.