‘Backhanded me in the face’: Britney Spears alleges new NBA star’s security slapped her

Police have investigated claims Britney Spears was slapped in the face by French NBA freak Victor Wembanyama’s bodyguard.

Victor Wembanyama and Britney Spears.

Las Vegas police said Thursday they had investigated an incident between French NBA top draft pick Victor Wembanyama’s security and pop star Britney Spears, who said she had been hit in the face.

Wembanyama is in Las Vegas ahead of his first game in the NBA Summer League against Charlotte on Friday and was heading to a restaurant when he was spotted by fans — and Spears.

Media reports said that Spears was pushed away by Wembanyama’s security, which the singer’s husband Sam Asghari said was “violent” and “out of control.”

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Wembanyama told reporters after practice that he only heard of Spears’ involvement some hours after his dinner.

“There was one person who was calling me but we talked before with the security (to not) stop because it’s gonna make a crowd,” said the Frenchman.

“That person was calling me ‘sir sir’ and that person grabbed me from behind, so I didn’t see what happened because I was walking straight.

“I don’t know with how much force but security pushed her away and I didn’t stop to look so I kept walking and enjoyed a nice dinner.”

.@vicw_32 on the situation last night involving Britney Spears pic.twitter.com/I0mHJvJzs4

— Cassidy Hubbarth (@CassidyHubbarth) July 6, 2023

Asked if he realised it was Spears, Wembanyama said: “Actually, I didn’t know for a couple hours.

“When I got back to the hotel, I didn’t forget about this, but I thought it was no big deal. And then [I was told] this was Britney Spears. At first, I was like, ‘No, you’re joking!’ But yeah, it turns out it was Britney Spears.

“I never saw her face.”

Spears said she had simply wanted to greet the player and questioned Wembanyama’s account.

“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,” she said on Instagram.

“I tapped him on the shoulder to get his attention. I am aware of the players statement where he mentions ‘I grabbed him from behind’ but I simply tapped him on the shoulder,” she said.

“His security then backhanded me in the face without looking back, in front of a crowd. Nearly knocking me down and causing my glasses [to fall] off my face.”

“I get swarmed by people all the time. In fact, that night. I was swarmed by a group of at least 20 fans. My security team didn’t hit any of them.”

Victor Wembanyama greets the crowd during a news conference introducing the Spurs 2023 Draft Class, at the AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas. (Photo by Patrick T. Fallon / AFP)

The Las Vegas Police Department investigated the incident but did not take any action.

“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 police said in a statement.

“The incident has been documented on a police report and no arrest or citations have been issued. No further details will be provided at this time.”

According to TMZ, Spurs’ head of security Damian Smith was the guard involved in the incident.

TMZ reports the security guard apologised and told her, “You understand how it is when you’re being swarmed by fans.”

Asghari posted on social media that Spears had been “assaulted.”

“The violent behavior of an out-of-control security guard should not cast a shadow on the accomplishment of a great young man on the rise @wemby,” he wrote.

“I can’t imagine a scenario where an unarmed female fan, showing any kind of excitement or appreciation for a celebrity would cause her to be physically assaulted, much less being hit in the face for tapping someone on the shoulder.”

Originally published as ‘Backhanded me in the face’: Britney Spears alleges new NBA star’s security slapped her