Photos of Britney Spears with NBA superstar Victor Wembanyama — moments before she was allegedly slapped in the face by his security — have surfaced.
In the pics, the pop star, alongside husband Sam Asghari, can be seen approaching the San Antonio Spurs basketball player from behind as they arrived at Catch restaurant inside the ARIA Resort & Casino in Las Vegas Wednesday.
Another shot shows Wembanyama, 19, walking with the security guard accused of assaulting Spears.
A source told TMZ that the “Toxic” singer, 41, went up to the pro baller, who recently signed with the Spurs in the 2023 NBA Draft, to ask for a photo together.
She “tapped him on his back, right shoulder,” per the outlet, before the security guard then allegedly “backhanded her.”
Spears reportedly fell to the floor and her glasses were knocked off.
The “Gimme More” songstress was later seen in a paparazzi video obtained by TMZ quickly exiting the restaurant later in the evening, wearing a hoodie and sunglasses to conceal her identity.
Reps for Spears and Wembanyama did not immediately return Pvnew’s requests for comment. The media spokesperson for Catch declined to comment.
TMZ also reported that the security guard apologized to the music superstar at her table after the alleged incident occurred.
However, Spears demanded a public mea culpa as she shared her side of the story on social media Thursday.
“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 didn’t hit any of them,” she posted via her Instagram Story.
“I have yet to get a public apology from the player, his security or their organization. I hope they will.”
Pvnew confirmed that the Grammy winner filed a police report for battery.
While it’s unclear how Asghari responded to the slap, he took to Instagram to also release a statement following the incident.
“Self-defense can be unavoidable, but the defense of any woman, especially my wife, is not debatable. I consider my reaction subdued considering what occurred, and I hope the man in question learns a lesson and changes his disregard for women,” the model, 29, wrote Thursday.
In a second post, Asghari noted that the “violent behavior of an out-of-control security guard should not cast a shadow” on Wembanyama but rather “the coward who did this, the people who hired him without proper vetting, and a systematic culture of disregard for women within sports and entertainment.”
The fitness trainer concluded his post, saying he “looks forward” to seeing how people at the “top” make changes within the organization.
