The singer Britney Spears requested for an apology on Thursday after accusing a member of a star N.B.A. participant’s safety element of hanging her within the face exterior a Las Vegas restaurant when she tried to greet the participant, Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs.
In a tweet concerning the encounter, Spears didn’t title Wembanyama, however in discussing the unnamed participant she referred to public feedback he had made to reporters hours earlier than. Spears, 41, stated that she had seen “an athlete” at two totally different resorts Wednesday evening and “decided to approach him and congratulate him on his success” at the second, exterior a restaurant. Spears stated after she tapped him on the shoulder, a member of his safety staff “back handed me in the face,” knocking her glasses off and inflicting her to just about fall down.
Spears stated that she was nonetheless ready for an apology from the participant, his safety and his staff. Wembanyama, 19, was the No. 1 decide within the N.B.A. draft final month. He is anticipated to play within the N.B.A.’s summer season league beginning Friday in Las Vegas.
The Spurs didn’t reply to a number of requests for touch upon Thursday. The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department didn’t reply to an e mail request for remark. An individual who answered the telephone on the division’s public information workplace stated they might not touch upon a particular case and that it may take three to 5 days to answer a information request.
In statements to a number of information retailers, together with Variety and People, the Las Vegas police stated that round 11 p.m. on Wednesday, “officers responded to a property in the 3700 block of Las Vegas Boulevard regarding a battery investigation,” however that no arrests or citations had been made. The incident was first reported by TMZ on Thursday morning. A lawyer for Spears, Mathew S. Rosengart, stated the Las Vegas police have been investigating and declined to make additional remark past Spears’s assertion.
Earlier on Thursday, earlier than Spears’s tweet, Wembanyama offered a different version of events whereas assembly with reporters in Las Vegas. He stated that “there was one person calling me,” however Spurs safety had informed him to not cease for anybody, since doing so may have invited a crowd. He then stated that an individual had “grabbed me from behind, not on my shoulder.”
“I don’t know with how much force, but security pushed her away,” Wembanyama stated, including that he didn’t know that the girl was Spears till hours later. “I didn’t stop to look, so I kept walking and enjoyed a nice dinner.”
Spears stated she was “not prepared for what happened” and that it was “super embarrassing” to debate publicly.
“However, I think it’s important to share this story and to urge people in the public eye to set an example and treat all people with respect,” she stated.
Wembanyama, at over 7 ft tall, is likely one of the most heralded N.B.A. prospects in latest many years. He averaged greater than 20 factors and 10 rebounds per sport final season with Metropolitans 92, a French skilled staff.
Claire Fahy contributed reporting.
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