Victor Wembanyama’s claim of Britney Spears grabbing him from behind stands false after a video surfaces online
The Victor Wembanyama and Britney Spears situation has unfolded this week ahead of the 7-foot-5 star's NBA Summer League debut Friday. Early in the week, his security team was involved in an incident with the former pop star.
According to Wembanyama, he and his security team were heading into a restaurant with no plans to stop for fans. As he explained to media members, his security team made it clear beforehand that if he stopped for photos, fans would swarm him.
As he made his way to the restaurant, he reportedly was grabbed from behind by someone, prompting a security person to slap the woman. The woman on the receiving end of the slap was Spears, who took to social media to voice her side of the story.
Now, video of the incident has emerged, backing Spears' claim that she tapped the young superstar on the shoulder rather than grabbing him as he claimed. TMZ circulated the video, which included a number of photos of Spears after the fact at dinner with her friends.
As Spears dined with friends, Victor Wembanyama's security guard reportedly approached her to apologize, telling her that he didn't know who she was from behind.
It is important to note that Wembanyama's security guard slapped Spears' hand and didn't slap Spears in the face. The video also disproves Spears' claim that she was knocked to the ground by the blow. However, it shows that the slap to her hand knocked her glasses off.
Impact of the Victor Wembanyama-Britney Spears situation
After Spears' security team and Victor Wembanyama's security guard who slapped Spears spoke, a report was filed with Las Vegas police. Although Spears and her team claimed battery in the situation, further investigation resulted in the police department declining to press charges.
It doesn't sound as though Wembanyama has lost any sleep over the situation, with his highly anticipated NBA Summer League debut set to take place Friday. As Wembanyama told media members, he was shocked to learn that it was Spears who was trying to get his attention.
“I didn’t know for a couple hours, but when I came back to the hotel ... I didn't forget about it, but I thought it was no big deal, and then the security of the Spurs told me it was Britney Spears," Wembanyama said. "At first, I was like, ‘You’re joking.’ But, yeah, turns out it was Britney Spears. I never saw her face. I just kept walking straight.”
From the sounds of things, despite the slap to her hand being audible in the video released by TMZ, Spears didn't sustain any injuries. Still, she dubbed the entire ordeal a "traumatic experience" in a statement released on social media.
Whether or not this situation is water under the bridge given that no charges are being filed against the security guard, only time will tell.