Pop icon Britney Spears is the center of controversy following reports that she was slapped by the bodyguard of Victor Wembanyama, the NBA's top draft pick and a rookie player for the San Antonio Spurs. The incident sparked outrage among the singer's fans, who took to social media to express their disapproval.
This unexpected clash happened in Las Vegas, where both parties separately decided to enjoy an evening meal at a local hotspot.
Brian Grajales, an eyewitness at the Catch restaurant, shared his account of the incident with Sportskeeda. He mentioned Spears attempting to engage with Wembanyama, employing an odd British accent to grab his attention.
Grajales stated, "We noticed a fan, who we later realized was Britney Spears, trying to get Wemby's attention by repeatedly calling out 'excuse me, sir!'." The moment she managed to tap the player's back, a bodyguard reportedly backhanded Spears, causing her glasses to fly off, as Wembanyama continued nonchalantly.
The eyewitness recalls Spears voicing her indignation in the same British accent, exclaiming, "This is f***ing America!" The Las Vegas police have since been brought into the picture to investigate the alleged assault, with Spears already having provided her account.
Wembanyama's response to the situation was perceived as dismissive. Amid the media frenzy, he acknowledged being aware of the incident but downplayed its significance, which was received negatively by many. He consistently referred to Spears as "that person" who "grabbed" him.
The NBA rookie was in Las Vegas for the Summer League. Given his rise to fame as the top NBA draft pick, his security detail had advised him against stopping in public spaces to avoid crowds. Explaining his indifference, Wembanyama stated, "There was one person who was calling me... but we had discussed not stopping to prevent a crowd. So, I couldn't stop."
"She grabbed me from behind...I know security pushed her away, but I don't know how forcefully. I continued walking and had a pleasant dinner," he added, chuckling. "It didn't seem like a big deal... I found out later it was Britney Spears, but I didn't know because I never saw her face."
Britney Spears disputed Wembanyama's account on Twitter. According to her, she saw Wembanyama at her hotel lobby and later at the restaurant, where she intended to congratulate him on his recent achievement.
She denied "grabbing" him and asserted that the bodyguard "backhanded me in the face without looking back, in front of a crowd." She defended her own security team, saying, "I was surrounded by a group of at least 20 fans. My security team didn't hit any of them." Spears expressed her disappointment about the lack of respect from public figures and lamented not receiving an apology from the player, the Spurs, or the bodyguard.
Meanwhile, TMZ reported that the bodyguard merely pushed away Britney's hand, which accidentally hit her face, based on CCTV footage. Despite the bodyguard allegedly apologizing to Spears, she filed a battery complaint with the Las Vegas Police Department, and the investigation remains ongoing.