No charges will be filed over an altercation between Britney Spears and a member of the security team of San Antonio Spurs rookie Victor Wembanyama after Las Vegas Police said video showed the pop star inadvertently “hit herself in the face.”
Wembanyama, a 7 foot 3 inch teen from France, was the top pick overall in last month’s NBA draft is making his debut in the summer league in Las Vegas on Friday, The Associated Press reported. He has entered the league with the kind of acclaim not seen since Lebron James came on the scene in 2003.
Spears filed a police reported alleging battery in the incident, which happened Wednesday night at the Aria Resort & Casino. Spears said she saw Wembanyama, 19, earlier in the night at the hotel and “decided to approach him and congratulate him on his success” when she saw him again at the Aria.
“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 said.
Surveillance video from the event, however, “showed Britney going to tap the Spurs player on the shoulder,” the police report said. “When she touch the player [redacted] pushes her hand off of the player without looking which causes Britney’s hand to hit herself in the face.”
Police interviewed both Wembanyama’s and Spears’ security members, both of whom said that pushing a hand away is a standard response. According to the police report, the Spurs security guard said he spoke with Spears later and apologized and that Spears’ security team said she also apologized.
Wembanyama said he was told later that the altercation was with Spears, but as he had been told by security not to stop for any reason as he entered the restaurant, he did not turn around and see what was happening. He said he heard someone shouting “sir, sir” and that “that person grabbed me from behind.”
Another video, apparently taken by an unknown person and obtained by TMZ, shows the incident from behind, with Spears trotting up behind the towering basketball star. What she does is unclear — although she is clearlly not tall enough to reach his shoulder — but the security guard’s hand sweeps upward, brushing hers away before she continues trying to follow Wembanyama.
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[Featured image: FILE – Britney Spears on on April 12, 2018, left, and San Antonio Spurs NBA basketball first round draft pick Victor Wembanyama on June 24, 2023. (AP Photos by Chris Pizzello, left, and Eric Gay, File)]
