Britney Spears slams radio show for Victor Wembanyama remark

Britney Spears slams radio station for saying she ‘deserved to be hit’ by guard

Britney Spears poses in a red dress against a gold background.

July 12, 2023 11:18 AM PT

Britney Spears is speaking out again after accusing a member of Victor Wembanyama‘s security detail of striking her in the face last week in Las Vegas.

The “Hold Me Closer” singer posted an Instagram video Tuesday criticizing an unnamed radio station for allegedly saying she “deserved to be hit” by the basketball phenom’s security guard.

Damian Smith is accused of striking Spears. He’s the director of team security for the San Antonio Spurs, which drafted Wembanyama as the NBA’s No. 1 overall pick last month.

“I heard ... this radio station talking smack and talking s— ... saying that I ‘deserved to be smacked. Security was doing their job and protecting their client,’” Spears said in the clip.

“I’ve been with the most famous people in the world — ’N Sync at one time. Girls would literally throw themselves at them. On my way into the [hotel in Vegas] actually I was knocked down by three 12-year-olds trying to get my picture. My security, not one time, touched them or even came near them. Point being is: I didn’t appreciate the people saying that I deserved to be hit because no woman ever deserves to be hit.”

The Grammy winner proceeded to repeat her account of what happened. She maintains that she had approached the 19-year-old athlete at the Aria Resort & Casino and “tapped him on the back” in an effort to get his attention when Smith “backhanded” her.

“I did get an apology at my table 30 minutes later,” Spears said Tuesday. “But I have yet to receive a public apology.”

While discussing the incident with KENS 5 reporter Nate Ryan last week, Wembanyama claimed that Spears “grabbed” him from behind.

“Not on my shoulder, she grabbed me from behind,” he said.

“I just know the security pushed her away. I don’t know with how much force, but security pushed her away. I didn’t stop to look so I could walk in and enjoy a nice dinner.”

The 7-foot-4 NBA star added that he wasn’t aware at the time that the person trying to get his attention was Spears.

“I am aware of the player’s statement where he mentions ‘I grabbed him from behind’ but I simply tapped him on the shoulder,” Spears maintained in a statement issued last week.

The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department recently concluded its investigation into the incident after Spears reported it that night. The department confirmed in a statement that “no charges will be filed against the person involved.”

According to a police report obtained by The Times, members of Wembanyama’s security team denied that Smith struck Spears in the face and claimed that he simply pushed the pop musician’s hand off of the player — a “standard response for most security/bodyguards.”

The report also noted that officers and police detectives reviewed surveillance footage that showed Spears tapping Wembanyama on the shoulder before the guard pushed “her hand off of the player without looking which causes Britney’s hand to hit herself in the face.”

“Due to the fact that [Smith] DID NOT willfully or unlawfully use any force or violence upon Britney and probable cause did not exist an Arrest was not made and a Citation was not given,” an officer wrote in the report.

Times staff writer Nardine Saad contributed to this report.