Britney Spears has broken her silence following an altercation with San Antonio Spurs player Victor Wembanyama's security team.
The singer was in Las Vegas with her husband Sam Asghari Wednesday night at the ARIA Hotel when, after she approached the NBA player from behind and tapped him on the shoulder, she was slapped by his security team.
Hours after the incident was first reported by TMZ, Britney took to Instagram with a heartbreaking statement, which read: "Traumatic experiences are not new to me and I have had my fair share of them. I was not prepared for what happened to me last night."
Detailing the incident, she continued: "I recognized an athlete in my hotel lobby as I was heading to dinner. I later went to a restaurant at a different hotel and saw him again. I decided to approach him and congratulate him on his success. It was really loud, so I tapped him on the shoulder to get his attention," adding: "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 [to fall] off my face."
She then noted: "I get swarmed by people all the time. In fact, that night. I was swarmed by a group of at least 20 fans. My security team didn't hit any of them.
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"This story is super embarrassing to share with the world but it's out there already. 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."
Britney shared that she has yet to reveal a public apology from neither Victor nor his team, and further wrote: "I also don't appreciate nor do I think this is a laughing matter. 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…"
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TMZ previously reported that the athlete and his security team had approached Britney and apologized, though the outlet also reports that her team filed a police report with the Metropolitan Police Department.
The director of team security for the Spurs, Damian Smith, is listed on the police report as the person who slapped Britney, and Las Vegas police will be reportedly meeting with the 'Oops! I Did It Again' singer later today to discuss the incident.
Victor, 19, is originally from Nanterre, France, and is in Las Vegas in anticipation of his debut with the San Antonio Spurs.
The team is set to play against the Charlotte Hornets at Las Vegas' Thomas and Mack Center this Friday, July 7 at 9pm PT. They also have a game against the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday, July 9 and 8pm PT, against the Washington Wizards on Tuesday, July 11 at 10:30pm PT, and a final face-off against the Detroit Pistons on Friday, July 14 at 8:30pm PT.
Britney, meanwhile, after the dissolution of her infamous 13-year conservatorship – which was in place from 2008 to 2021 – has kept a low-profile since a court ordered her independent from her father Jamie Spears.
In the two years since the end of the conservatorship, she has not fully returned to the spotlight. Notable exceptions included her star-studded wedding to Sam, which was attended by Paris Hilton, Drew Barrymore, Madonna, Selena Gomez and others, the release of her duet 'Hold Me Closer' with Elton John, and her frequent social media posts that range from dancing videos to rare insight into her personal life.