Singer Britney Spears on Thursday demanded an apology after she accused a member of an NBA star security detail of punching her in the face outside a Las Vegas restaurant when she tried to greet player, Victor Wimpanyama of the San Antonio Spurs.
in a tweet About the encounter, Spears did not mention Wimpanyama’s name, but referred to public comments he made to reporters hours earlier. Spears, 41, said she saw an “athlete” at two different hotels Wednesday night and “decided to approach him and congratulate him on his success” at the second hotel, outside a restaurant. After tapping his shoulder, a member of his security team “handed my face back,” Spears said, removing her glasses and nearly causing them to fall out.
Spurs said it was still waiting for an apology from the player, his security and his team. Wimpanyama, 19, was the first pick in the NBA draft last month. He is expected to play in the NBA Summer League starting Friday in Las Vegas.
Spurs did not respond to multiple requests for comment on Thursday. The Las Vegas City Police Department did not respond to an emailed request for comment. A person who answered the phone at the department’s public records office said they could not comment on a specific case and that it could take three to five days to respond to a records request.
In statements to several news outlets, including diverse And the peopleLas Vegas police said that at approximately 11 p.m. on Wednesday, “officers responded to a property on the 3700 block of Las Vegas Boulevard regarding a battery investigation,” but no arrests or citations were made. was the accident First reported by TMZ Thursday morning. Spears’ attorney, Matthew S.
Earlier on Thursday, before Spears tweeted, Wimpanyama Offered a different version of events While meeting with reporters in Las Vegas. He said there was “one person calling me,” but Tottenham security told him not to stop anyone, as doing so could have invited a crowd. He then said that someone “grabbed me from behind, not by the shoulder.”
“I don’t know how much force, but security pushed her away,” Wimpanyama said, adding that he didn’t know the woman was Spears until hours later. “I didn’t stop to look, so I kept walking and enjoyed a nice dinner.”
Spears said she was “not prepared for what happened” and that it was “too embarrassing” to discuss it publicly.
“However, I think it is important to share this story and urge people in the public eye to set an example and treat all people with respect,” she said.
Wimpanyama, who stands over 7 feet tall, is one of the hottest NBA prospects in recent decades. He averaged over 20 points and 10 rebounds per game last season with the Metropolitans 92, a French professional team.
Claire Fahey Contribute to the preparation of reports.