Victor Wembanyama insists he is focused on basketball and his first ever San Antonio Spurs game on Friday night, despite getting embroiled in a row involving Britney Spears in Las Vegas.
Spears, 41, was seen approaching NBA‘s new star as she arrived at Catch restaurant in the ARIA Hotel, Las Vegas, supported by her husband Sam Asghari, 29 while Wembanyama, 19, was seen walking ahead with alleged attacker Damian Smith.
It is then, Spears claims, that a security guard ‘back handed me in the face’ and ‘nearly knocked me down’ after she attempted to meet the Frenchman.
Wembanyama addressed the Spears story in the laid back approach that he is already becoming famous for, saying he thought someone was ‘joking’ when he found out hours after the incident that the person he says ‘grabbed him from behind’ was Spears.
But as he gets set to take to the court in NBA’s Summer League as a Spurs player for the first time, the Frenchman isn’t letting it distract him.
Victor Wembanyama insists the Britney Spears incident will not distract him for the Spurs
Spears has claimed one of the Spurs security team around Wembanyama assaulted her
The saga has erupted on the eve of Wembanyama’s first appearance as a Spurs player
‘I can’t wait. Can’t wait,’ Wembanyama said Thursday of his first game. ‘The practices lately have been really intense.
‘I made a little pause in basketball with the draft and stuff, couldn’t really practice. I’m getting back in shape and I can’t wait. I’m having so much fun.
‘I just realize more and more how lucky I am to be in this situation. I’m just happy to be here. Enjoying the moment.’
Wembanyama was asked what advice his coach, Gregg Popovich, is giving him as his basketball career in the States begins. Friday’s game sees the Spurs play the Charlotte Hornets.
‘Being myself,’ Wembanyama said. ‘No one can worry about me not being myself.
‘Coming into a new environment it’s important not to lose that sense of just being myself, having fun and experiencing it.
‘This is the time to experience stuff on the court – because when the season starts, it’s about winning.’
But as much as Wembanyama will back himself to do most of his talking on the court, it doesn’t look like the encounter with Spears is going away any time soon.
Wembanyama said Spurs practice has been ‘intense’ as he settles in at his new team
The 19-year-old Frenchman is one of the most hyped prospects in the history of the NBA
Wembanyama said he hadn’t played much basketball around the time of the NBA Draft in June
Spears’ security team has reportedly since filed a police report against the security guard in question, who has been identified as Smith – accusing him of battery.
Wembanyama, considered one of the most-hyped basketball prospects in decades, said that Spears grabbed him from behind.
‘I didn’t see what happened, because I was walking straight and we were told, ‘Don’t stop,” Wembanyama said. ‘But that person grabbed me from behind — not on my shoulder, she grabbed me from behind — and so I just know the security pushed her away.’
‘I don’t know with how much force, though. But security pushed her away. I didn’t stop to look so I could walk in and enjoy the nice dinner.’
The Spurs’ rookie said that he was unaware who the woman who approached him was until hours later.
‘At first I was like, ‘No, you’re joking,” he said. ‘But, yeah, it turns out it was Britney Spears.’
