San Antonio Spurs rookie Victor Wembanyama said Thursday that he believes Britney Spears grabbed him from behind as he was walking into a restaurant at a Las Vegas casino and that the security detail he was with pushed the pop star away.
Wembanyama said he wasn’t told that Spears was the person who grabbed him until hours later.
Spears filed a police report claiming she was struck by a security guard while trying to get Wembanyama’s attention, according to TMZ, which first reported alleged details of the incident that took place Wednesday night near a restaurant at the ARIA hotel and casino.
TMZ said Spears noticed Wembanyama and tapped him on the shoulder in an effort to get his attention for a photo and that she wound up being struck in the face and having her glasses knocked off.
Spears addressed the incident in an Instagram story Thursday afternoon, saying it was “super embarrassing to share with the world but its out there already.”
She disputed Wembanyama’s account that she had grabbed him, saying she just “simply tapped him on the shoulder” and that his security “backhanded me in the face without looking back, in front of a crowd. Nearly knocking me down and causing my glasses off my face.”
“I have yet to get a public apology from the player, his security or their organization,” Spears wrote. “I hope they will …”
The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department issued a statement to the Los Angeles Times saying officers responded to a “battery investigation” at that address without specifying any individual names. The statement went on to say that “no arrest or citations have been issued” and that “no further details will be provided at this time.”
Wembanyama said security advised him not to stop for anyone as he walked into the restaurant, mindful that pausing could cause a stir and allow a crowd to build.
Wembanyama said he was unaware the situation had made headlines until Thursday.