July 07, 2023
Britney Spears has opened up on the shocking incident of being hit by NBA player Victor Wembanyama's security guard.
The singer slapped down the basketball star after he claimed she grabbed him before his security "slapped her in the face"
The 41-year-old singer took to her Instagram on Thursday to reveal that the sportsman's security "back handed me in the face" and 'nearly knocked me down' while she was attempting to meet the basketball star at Catch restaurant in the ARIA Hotel, Las Vegas.
During a press scrum at the NBA Summer League, Wembanyama claimed that Spears "grabbed me from behind" which led his team to spring into action.
Victor said: "I didn't see what happened, because I was walking straight and we were told, 'Don't stop. But that person grabbed me from behind -- not on my shoulder, she grabbed me from behind -- and so I just know the security pushed her away."
He added: "I don't know with how much force, though. But security pushed her away. I didn't stop to look so I could walk in and enjoy the nice dinner. At first I was like, 'No, you're joking'. But, yeah, it turns out it was Britney Spears."
Reacting to the star's claims, Britney said that she "simply tapped him on the shoulder!" in a statement where she thanked her fans and Las Vegas police for their support.
The singer added: "Traumatic experiences are not new to me and I have had my fair share of them,' she wrote. 'I was not prepared for what happened to me last night.
"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."
She called the story 'super embarrassing to share with the world but it's already out there' and claimed that her security team has never assaulted anyone despite decades of being mobbed by fans.
"I get swarmed by people all the time,' she said. 'In fact, that night, I was swarmed by a group of at least 20 fans. My security team didn't hit any of them."
Sam Asghari's wife also revealed that she has not gotten an apology from Wembanyama or his team, but hopes she will.
"I cherish the tremendous amounts of love and support I am receiving at the moment. Thank you to the Las Vegas PD and the detectives for their support."
Spears' security team has reportedly since filed a police report against the security guard in question, who has been identified as Smith - accusing him of battery.
Spears' husband Asghari also posted a statement on his Instagram story defending his wife - whom he said was 'physically assaulted' - and slamming Wembanyama's security team but saying that it shouldn't be held against the 19-year-old.