Britney Spears accuses Victor Wembanyama of laughing after his security member allegedly slapped her

In an extensive statement about the incident outside Catch restaurant at the Aria Hotel Wednesday night, pop star Britney Spears accused NBA star Victor Wembanyama of laughing after his security member allegedly slapped her.

The initial account of the incident, as reported, was that Spears spotted Wembanyama at the restaurant and went over to him to ask if they could take a photo together as she was a fan. She tapped the player on his back, and that is when Damian Smith, the Director of Team Security for the San Antonio Spurs instantly backhanded her. The force of the slap caused her to fall to the ground, knocking her glasses off. Following the incident, a criminal investigation has been launched against Smith.

Also Read | Did Britney Spears slap herself? Victor Wembanyama’s security director Damian Smith under criminal investigation

Wembanyama told ESPN reporters his version of the events on Thursday. “We were in the hall. There was a lot of people, so people were calling [at] me, obviously. There was one person who was calling me but we talked before with security,” he continued. “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.”

The NBA star also added that he had no idea that it was Spears who tried to approach him. He said that he came to know about her identity a couple of hours after coming back to the hotel. “I didn’t know for a couple hours, but when I came back to the hotel … I thought it was no big deal, and then security of the Spurs told me it was Britney Spears,” Wembanyama added.

Spears also took to Instagram to write an extensive post about her version of the events after Wembanyama broke his silence. She disputed his statement that she grabbed him from behind. Instead, she said that he tapped him on the shoulder to get his attention.

Also Read | Who is Damian Smith? Britney Spears slapped by Victor Wembanyama’s director of security

Without mentioning Wembanyama’s name in her post, she accused “the player” of smiling and laughing at her after she was allegedly slapped by Smith. “Watching the player smile and laugh was cruel and demoralizing with the situation that took place. I am 5’3 and he’s 7’4…” she wrote.

She also decried physical violence in general and said she stood with “all the victims and my heart goes out to all of you!!! I have yet to get a public apology from the player, his security or his organization. I hope they will….” she added.