Victor Wembanyama Says Britney Spears 'Grabbed' Him Before Security Slap Incident
Victor Wembanyama Britney 'Grabbed Me From Behind' ... Before Security Slap Incident
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Victor Wembanyama says Britney Spears didn't just tap him on the shoulder before a security guard put his hand on her on Wednesday night ... the NBA star says she full-on "grabbed me from behind" -- sparking the intense scene.
The San Antonio Spurs' top pick explained his side of the situation to KENS 5 reporter Nate Ryan shortly after a workout on Thursday afternoon ... saying it all went down as he was walking into Catch restaurant in the ARIA Hotel in Las Vegas.
Wembanyama -- the most touted basketball prospect since LeBron James -- said there were a lot of people in the hallway near the eatery calling for him ... but he was instructed not to stop in order to avoid creating a chaotic scene.
One woman, though, kept asking for him ... before she ran up to him and put her arms around him.
![Britney Spears Slapped by NBA's Victor Wembanyama Security, New Photos](https://cdn.statically.io/img/imagez.tmz.com/image/df/1by1/2023/07/06/df26182928af4338bbb9223f45269eb9_xxs.png)
Britney Spears Slapped by NBA's Victor Wembanyama Security, New Photos
He later learned that person was Spears.
"I didn't see what happened, because I was walking straight and we were told, 'Don't stop,'" Wembanyama said. "But that person grabbed me from behind -- not on my shoulder, she grabbed me from behind -- and so I just know the security pushed her away."
"I don't know with how much force, though. But security pushed her away. I didn't stop to look so I could walk in and enjoy the nice dinner."
Wembanyama said he didn't know the woman was Spears until "a couple hours later" because he never saw her face.
"At first I was like, 'No, you're joking,'" he said. "But, yeah, it turns out it was Britney Spears."
Spears' husband, Sam Asghari, also addressed his side of the incident in a pair of Instagram posts Thursday afternoon ... chastising Wembanyama's security guard for getting physical with the singer during the incident.
"The violent behavior of an out-of-control security guard should not cast a shadow on the accomplishment of a great young man on the rise @wemby," he said. "The blame should fall on the coward who did this, the people who hired him without proper vetting, and a systemic culture of disregard for women within sports and entertainment."
Moments ago,#Spurs rookie Victor Wembanyama addresses the incident last night with Britney Spears in Las Vegas: pic.twitter.com/T33s7R4yUl
— Nate Ryan (@nateryansports) July 6, 2023 @nateryansports
Sam went on to say he believed Spears was "physically assaulted," and he demanded to see changes "come from the top."
"And I look forward to those changes," he said.