New video of the alleged altercation between singer Britney Spears and NBA star Victor Wembayama’s security team offers a new perspective on what happened between the two parties in Las Vegas on Wednesday night.
Bystander footage obtained by TMZ appears to show Spears in a green top and white boots approaching Wembanyama from behind. She reaches out to pat him on the back, and a security guard pushes her hand away, apparently causing her to punch Spears in the face.
The video appears to largely back up Spears’ claim in a social media post Thursday that she patted the NBA rookie on the back to get his attention.
Spears wrote that Wembanyama’s security guard “shoved me in the face from behind, without looking back, in front of the crowd.” However, it’s not clear from the TMZ tape whether the guard’s hand actually made contact with Spears’ face.
Local ABC affiliate KTNV reported that surveillance footage showed Spears’ own hand hitting her face after the guard pushed her out of the way, citing a police report.
“Detectives and I were able to review surveillance footage of the event that shows Britney going to tap the Spurs player on the shoulder,” an investigator wrote, according to KTNV. “When she touched the player [the security guard] pushes her hand away from the player without looking, causing Britney’s hand to hit her in the face.
When police questioned both Spears and NBA security, both said removing a hand from someone’s shoulder was a standard response, the Associated Press reported.
Security on both sides reportedly said Spears and the security guard later reconciled and apologized.
Spears said in her social media post that she wanted to congratulate the San Antonio Spurs forward.
Wembanyama claimed that Spears “grabbed” him, suggesting more aggression on her part. He said he only learned her identity later because his security had instructed him not to stop for fans.
“I didn’t see what happened because I was walking straight … but this person grabbed me from behind – not my shoulder, she grabbed me from behind,” the basketball star told reporters in Thursday.
“I just let security push her away. I don’t know with what force, though,” he said.
TMZ footage shows that the height difference between the two appears to make it difficult for Spears to reach Wembanyama’s shoulder. Wembanyama is officially measured at 7 feet, 3.5 inches tall.
Strangely, Spears appears to be using a British accent as she approaches Wembanyama, shouting “Sir!”
After the incident, Spears again seemingly put on the accent to shout, “This is America for you! Fuck you all!”
While the singer has filed a police report, no charges are expected, according to Las Vegas police.
Spears said the whole thing was “super awkward.”