What could have been a sweet interaction between a pop legend and a rising NBA star has instead devolved into a storm of controversy after Britney Spears, in trying to approach a San Antonio Spurs rookie for a photo, was instead allegedly struck by a member of the team’s security detail.
Less than a day after the Wednesday night incident, Spears and the player, first overall draft pick Victor Wembanyama, both shared their sides of the story.
Spears took to social media to say that though traumatic experiences were nothing new to her, she was “not prepared for what happened” to her at the ARIA hotel and casino in Las Vegas.
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She wrote that she had recognized Wembanyama and “decided to approach him and congratulate him on his success. It was really loud, so I tapped him on his shoulder to get his attention.”
The 41-year-old went on to say that Wembanyama’s “security then back handed 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.”
Calling the story “super embarrassing to share with the world,” Spears said the incident was an opportunity “to urge people in the public eye to set an example and treat all people with respect.”
She added that she had yet to receive a public apology from Wembanyama, his security, or the Spurs. “I hope they will…” she wrote.
The 19-year-old Wembanyama, speaking to a KENS 5 reporter on Thursday, said that he hadn’t known the person who’d approached him had been Britney Spears until much later.
“I couldn’t stop. That person was calling me, ‘Sir, sir,’ and that person grabbed me from behind,” Wembanyama said. “I didn’t see what happened because I was walking straight and didn’t stop. That person grabbed me from behind—not on my shoulder, she grabbed me from behind. I just know the security pushed her away. I don’t know with how much force but security pushed her away.”
He continued, “I didn’t stop to look so I could walk in and enjoy a nice dinner.”
Wembanyama said he was unaware for a couple of hours and that “I thought it was no big deal, and then security of the Spurs told me it was Britney Spears.”
“At first, I was like, ‘You’re joking,’ but yeah, it turns out it was Britney Spears. I never saw her face. I just kept walking straight.”
TMZ, which first reported the incident, said that the guard in question, security director Damian Smith, had later given an apology to Spears that she had accepted.
The tabloid reported that a police report had been filed, and that investigators had reviewed security camera footage of the incident. The video showed that Smith had pushed away Spears’ hand, and that she was then hit in the face with her own hand, according to TMZ.
The Las Vegas Police Department told The Daily Beast in a statement that officers summoned to the scene had carried out “a battery investigation.” The incident was documented in a police report, according to the department, and no arrests or citations were handed out. On Friday, police confirmed no charges would be filed.
In her Thursday statement, Spears did not directly comment on the police report or investigation, but thanked the department and its detectives “for their support.”
The most heated response to the incident came from Spears’ husband, Sam Asghari, who was reportedly at her side when she was slapped. Asghari railed against the “out-of-control security guard” in a lengthy post to his Instagram Story on Thursday afternoon.
“I am opposed to violence in any form, especially without justification in the defense of yourself or someone else who is unable to defend themselves. Self-defense can be unavoidable, but the defense of any woman, especially my wife, is not debatable,” Asghari seethed. “I consider my reaction subdued considering what occurred, and I hope the man in question learns a lesson and changes his disregard for women. Thank you for your support.”
In another post to his Story, he continued, “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 . The blame should fall on the coward who did this, the people who hired him without proper vetting, and a systemic culture of disregard for women within sports and entertainment.”
“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. The changes will have to come from the top, and I look forward to those changes.”
The 7-foot-4 Wembanyama is in Vegas to take part in the NBA Summer League, and is expected to make his debut on Friday against the Charlotte Hornets.
