Victor Wembanyama's security won't be charged over Britney Spears altercation
Police won’t charge a Victor Wembanyama security guard who was accused of slapping pop star Britney Spears.
That’s according to the Associated Press and TMZ Sports. The two high profile people came into contact with each other in Las Vegas hotel lobby earlier this week. The encounter between Spears and the No. 1 pick of the NBA draft was brief. And it didn’t end well, although Vegas police plan no criminal charges. AP reported that the Vegas police ended their investigation Friday morning.
If you’ve been living under a pop culture rock, here’s what happened.
Britney Spears said she was just trying to get Victor Wembanyama’s attention. At 7-foot-4, he’s difficult to miss. Plus, the 19-year-old Frenchman is one of the most recognizable faces in the NBA, although he’s yet to play. The Spurs selected Wemby, who has been dubbed the best prospect since LeBron James, with the No. 1 pick of the NBA draft in late June.
Spears said she tried to tap Wembanyama on the shoulder. But she said one of the basketball star’s security guards swatted her away, hitting her face with such force that she stumbled and lost her glasses. She addressed the incident on her Instagram account.
“Traumatic experiences are not new to me and I have had my fair share of them. I was not prepared for what happened to me last night,” she wrote.
Victor Wembanyama, Britney Spears offer differing takes
She said she “recognized an athlete in my hotel lobby as I was heading to dinner.” And then Spears said she spotted Wembanyama at another hotel lobby later in the evening. That’s when she decided to introduce herself.
“I decided to approach him and congratulate him on his success,” Spears said. “It was really loud, so I tapped him on the shoulder to get his attention.” Spears filed a police report.
Victor Wembanyama, in an interview Thursday, said Britney Spears grabbed him from behind. “I just know the security pushed her away,” he told reporters. “I don’t know with how much force though, but security pushed her away.” He added that he “didn’t stop to look” back at who it was.
He said a Spurs security guard told him more specifics two hours later. “At first, I was like, ‘No, you’re joking,’ but yeah, it turns out it was Britney Spears. I never saw her face. I just kept walking straight.”
But the pop star disputed part of Wemby’s account. “I simply tapped him on the shoulder. His security then back handed me in the face without looking back, in front of a crowd.” Spears said she was swarmed by as many as 20 fans that evening, yet she pointed out that none of her security hit anyone.