Victor Wembanyama Plans To 'Disappear from the Media' After Britney Spears Security Slap
By Kristin Myers on July 10, 2023 at 3:30 PM EDT
It seems that Victor Wembanyama is looking to keep a low profile after one of his security guards slapped Britney Spears at the Catch restaurant at the ARIA Hotel in Las Vegas.
The NBA star was walking with the San Antonio Spurs security team into the restaurant when the pop star saw him and wanted a photo. Although he previously claimed that she "grabbed" him from behind, security footage shows that the 41-year-old singer tapped him on the shoulder, as Britney expressed in her statement.
Although she was "backhanded" by the security guard, it is unclear whether he hit her face or he hit her hand, which flew back into her own face. Regardless, law enforcement officials aren’t pressing charges and Britney herself has said that she is still a “huge fan” of the French basketball player.
Despite this, he was trolled online after making a disappointing NBA debut on Friday, and it looks like he is trying to keep a low profile going forward.
Victor Wembanyama Plans To 'Disappear from the Media' After His Security Guard Slapped Britney Spears
Although Victor Wembanyama was the number-one overall pick in the NBA. However, he has decided to keep a low profile after his run-in with Britney Spears last week. After being drafted by the San Antonio Spurs and making his NBA debut during Summer League games over the weekend, Wembanyama told reporters on Monday that he wants to focus on his basketball career and avoid any distractions from the media, via People magazine.
“In the past month, I think basketball wasn't even 50% of my schedule. I can't stand it. I know it's a special moment in my life, but I'm glad it's over ... I just wanna hoop,” said Wembanyama via Tomer Azarly, as reported by Sports Illustrated.
The French athlete had previously addressed reporters last week when he explained what happened that night from his perspective. He claimed that he had been "grabbed" from behind in a video shared by KENS reporter Nate Ryan on Twitter.
Moments ago,#Spurs rookie Victor Wembanyama addresses the incident last night with Britney Spears in Las Vegas: pic.twitter.com/T33s7R4yUl
— Nate Ryan (@nateryansports) July 6, 2023
"I saw the news obviously," he said in the video. "I woke up to a couple of phone calls. Something did happen a little bit when I was walking with some security of the team to some restaurant. We were in a hall and there were a lot of people so people were calling me obviously."
He said he remembered "one person" calling his name repeatedly, although his security team urged him not to stop. "That person grabbed me from behind," he continued. "I didn't see what happened because I was walking straight and they told me 'Don't stop.' But that person grabbed me from behind, grabbed on my shoulder. She grabbed me from behind so I just know that the security pushed her away."
Britney Disputes Claim That She 'Grabbed' The NBA Star
In her own statement, the "Hold Me Closer" singer gave her side of the story. “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,” she explained. “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 players [sic] statement where he mentions ‘I grabbed him from behind’ but I simply tapped him on the shoulder,” she wrote. “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 also went on to say that she has not received an apology, writing, “I have yet to get a public apology from the player, his security or their organization,” she wrote, adding, “I hope they will…”
However, in a second statement, the "Toxic" singer added that she is still a big fan of the athlete. "Either way, I’m still a huge fan of the NBA player … it’s not his fault his security hit me … sh*t happens !!!” she wrote.