Britney Spears Video of Slap Shows She Tapped Victor ... Never Grabbed Him

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SLAP HAPPY
TMZ.com
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5:00 PM PT -- Britney Spears is speaking out about the video of her approaching Victor Wembanyama and then being slapped by his security guard ... she says in her experience she's never seen security hit another person.

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Britney points out she's been in the limelight all her life and hung around huge bands like NSYNC ... and she says none of the security guards protecting the celebs she's been around ever did what Wemby's did.

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The singer says she's seen the video and describes her reaction to the slap as "priceless."

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Britney says the incident was a "cry out on all levels" ... she says she's felt helpless most of her life and says the folks who rushed to her aid after the slap made her feel like she matters.

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BS says the "f*** you all" quote is a better reaction than responding with more violence ... and she says she's still a Wemby fan, and it's not his fault his security hit her.

Britney Spears and NBA phenom Victor Wembanyama have critically different accounts of what went down before his security guard slapped her, and video of the incident, obtained by TMZ, supports Britney's version.

Check out the video ... you hear Britney approach Victor outside Catch restaurant in Vegas Wednesday night, screaming in a British accent, "Sir, Sir!"

Britney reaches up and taps Victor on his left shoulder. This is important because Victor described Britney "grabbing" him. The video does not support that claim.

You then see Victor's security slap her hand and either his hand struck her face or he made contact with her hand and the force of impact caused her hand to hit her face.

Either way, you hear the slap. As the police said, it does not appear he struck her intentionally ... it was more him swatting her hand away.

Britney's glasses flew off, but she did not fall as she indicated.

After the slap, you hear Britney clearly upset, screaming, still in a British accent, "That's America for you. F*** you all!"

Britney and friends went to dinner after the incident ... where a witness tells us she seemed super pissed.

As we reported, the Metro PD has closed it's investigation and no charges will be filed against Victor's security.

Originally Published -- 10:53 AM PT

Honey Boo Boo Dad Goes MIA Before Scheduled Rehab at Lamar Odom's Facility

Honey Boo Boo's dad was supposed to check in for some much-needed help to combat his prescription pill addiction at a rehab owned by Lamar Odom, but he's since gone MIA ... TMZ has learned.

Sources close to Lamar tell us Sugar Bear was scheduled to fly into Kansas Thursday night and begin treatment with Odom Recovery Group at the Gold Bridge Treatment Center for his serious issues. However, we're told he never got on that flight ... and he's giving the Odom group radio silence.

Our sources say Lamar and co. believe SB simply got cold feet, because first he told them he couldn't attend the rehab because of work, then said he couldn't go because he was in the hospital for another health issue.

We're told Lamar's team isn't giving up on Sugar Bear, and hope he'll change his mind on getting help -- but he's not been responsive in their efforts to get in touch.

As we reported ... Lamar purchased 3 rehab centers in California earlier this year, and he's built on that foundation ever since.

Bam Margera is one celeb Lamar's worked tirelessly to get into treatment ... but the former "Jackass" star left one of Lamar's facilities only a few days after checking in.

Luka Dončić Proposes To Longtime GF ... She Said Yes!!!

Luka Dončić didn't get a ring this year ... but his girlfriend did -- 'cause the Dallas Mavericks star just proposed to Anamaria Goltes in Slovenia -- and she said YES!!!

The NBA point guard and his new fiancee revealed their engagement in social media posts on Friday ... showing the basketball player got down on one knee at Lake Bled.

"💍❤️ 7.7," Doncic captioned the pic.

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LeBron James was one of many who were stoked for the hooper ... writing in the comment section on Luka's Instagram post, "Congrats brother!!!!"

Dončić and Glotes have known each other since they were kids ... and, eventually, they began to date in their teenage years.

While the two were off and on for a bit, they ultimately became super serious as Dončić began establishing himself as one of the best players in the NBA.

Since then, she's been seen by his side often ... and she's even been spotted helping out at his charity events in Slovenia while he was back in the States playing basketball.

Now, they'll get to spend forever together ... something the two couldn't seem more pleased about.

Congrats!!

Jay-Z Roc Nation Sports Buys Soccer Agency Now Rep Superstar Vini Jr.

Jay-Z just made a massive splash in the soccer world ... his Roc Nation Sports International agency opened shop in Brazil, and now represents one of the biggest international soccer stars alive, Vinicius Jr.!

Hov and Roc Nation landed Vini Jr. after acquiring famed Brazilian soccer agency, TFM ... which reps over 100 soccer players, including the international soccer star.

Of course, if you're a soccer fan, you know 22-year-old Vinicius Jr. ... winger for Real Madrid (and the Brazilian National Team), is widely considered one of the most talented players in the world. Period.

For as great as he is on the pitch, he's equally as popular off it ... counting nearly 40 million followers on Instagram alone. Speaking of social media, Vini posted a photo hanging with Hov in late May... and we're told the stars spoke about the potential partnership.

With the move, Roc Nation believes they're positioned to become an even bigger player in the soccer world.

“In terms of football, Brazil is the center of it all. I strongly identify with a culture that has such an incredible passion for sport and music. Our influence in this game is growing and this move shows our intentions to the world,” RNS president and founder Juan Perez said in a statement.

TFM Agency founder Frederico Pena will now act as lead for the new RNS wing.

"Roc Nation embodies the pinnacle of culture, sports, and entertainment. It made perfect sense to join Roc Nation, elevate our operations, and provide our athletes with comprehensive, global representation," Pena said.

As for Jay, he's always made it clear he understands the popularity of soccer ... and now he counts one of the greatest players alive as one of his clients.

Kim Zolciak & Kroy Biermann Call Off Divorce!!!

Kim Zolciak and Kroy Biermann have pulled off the seemingly impossible ... calling off their divorce despite weeks of nastiness between the two.

According to court docs -- obtained by TMZ -- both Kim and Kroy filed Friday to dismiss their petitions for divorce.

Our sources say the two are really getting along well at the moment, and want to figure out how to make things work out ... especially for the sake of their 4 young kids. We're told love was never an issue between the two, and they've got a solid core.

The filing comes only days after Kim, Kroy and their kids were seen attending church in Atlanta.

THIS IS A MIRACLE
TMZ.com

As we reported ... the divorce has been seriously contentious. Kroy's accused Kim of having a gambling problem, and she's said she feared for their kid's safety around Kroy because he smokes weed.

TMZ broke the story -- Kim and Kroy fell under serious financial hardships just before the initial divorce filing -- with a more than $1M bill to the IRS.

We covered the drama in a previous episode of The TMZ Podcast, available on all podcast platforms.

Josh Allen, Hailee Steinfeld Eat Face At Dinner ... PDA-Filled Date In Mexico

Josh Allen and Hailee Steinfeld are having trouble keeping their mouths off each other in Mexico -- 'cause even at a lavish dinner earlier this week ... they were seen sucking face the entire time!!!

Just one day after the two put on a PDA show while taking a swim at their fancy Cabo resort ... the new couple was spotted getting in an oceanside meal -- and it, at times, got a little steamy.

In between bites, the two snuck in a bunch of kisses ... and there was even some heavy nuzzling and cuddling going on as well.

The NFL star and the "Starving" crooner have yet to publicly state they're an item ... but based on everything they're doing while on the out-of-the-country vacay, it's pretty clear this is more than just a fling.

The two were initially linked to each other back in May ... when they got a little snuggly at a sushi dinner -- and it seems things have certainly heated up since then.

Guess it's time to officially welcome Steinfeld to the Mafia, Bills fans!?

Lil Baby We Gave Away $20M Worth Of Merch... So I Rapped A Song About It

Lil Baby recently participated in a Fanatics Global Volunteer Day with his buddy Michael Rubin, resulting in $20 million worth of merchandise being distributed across the country!!!

On Friday, Baby joined forces with VaynerMedia for his newest single and video combo "Merch Madness" ... which celebrates the charity blowout that took place on June 27.

The visual begins with Baby surprising students inside Harlem's Frederick Douglass Academy on the last day of the school year.

Baby eventually details his involvement by rapping, "Real trench baby, business with Fanatics/This like twenty million on a giveaway/Twenty buses, twenty cities, stadium to stadium/See they idols givin' back to them, makin' people go crazy/I get paid when I appear/To do this, I volunteer."

Similar to Rubin's "White Party," the celebs were in full support of the GVD movement ... top pro athletes Tom Brady, Eli Manning, Odell Beckham Jr., Russell Willson and Chris Paul were spotted among the fold ... as were superstar rappers Lil Durk, Meek Mill, Quavo, and A$AP Ferg.

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The GVD reportedly donated over $300k worth of licensed sports apparel to 100k families that day ... a feat totally worth penning a song about.

Victor Wembanyama Guard Won't Be Charged Over Spears Slap

UPDATE

10:41 AM PT -- According to the police report, obtained by TMZ Sports, two members of Britney Spears' security team told cops Victor Wembanyama's guard did NOT appear to strike the singer in the face with a closed fist. Instead, both members said the man seemed to simply push Spears' hand off of the basketball player.

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In fact, according to the report, both of Spears' guards said, "this is a standard response for most security/body guards" ... before one added, "it would not be uncommon for them to respond this way."

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Cops said in the report surveillance video showed that after Spears touched Wembanyama, the Spurs player's security guard "pushes her hand off of the player without looking which causes Britney's hand to hit herself in the face."

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"Due to the fact that [Wembanyama's guard] DID NOT willfully or unlawfully use any force or violence upon Britney," one Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Dept. officer wrote in the report, "and probable cause did not exist an Arrest was not made and a Citation was not given."

The Victor Wembanyama security guard accused of slapping Britney Spears during a wild incident in Las Vegas on Wednesday night will NOT be charged with a crime, cops say.

According to the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Dept. ... an investigation into the allegations concluded on Friday morning -- and "no charges will be filed."

No further details regarding the police probe were revealed.

TMZ broke the story ... Spears had attempted to get Wembanyama's attention while outside of Catch restaurant in the ARIA Hotel -- but in an effort to keep the singer away from the San Antonio Spurs star, Wembanyama's security guard struck her in the face.

Spears claimed she was hit with such force, it rocked the glasses off her head ... and nearly knocked her to the ground.

She demanded an apology ... while her husband, Sam Asghari, said he wanted to see the guard punished.

For Wembanyama's part, he said he had no idea it was Spears who wanted his attention until several hours later.

The No. 1 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft also told reporters Thursday that the whole incident with the guard was kicked off because Spears "grabbed" him from behind.

Spears, though, refuted that claim ... and said she simply "tapped him on the shoulder."

Photos we obtained from inside Catch later in the evening show Spears was visibly agitated at her table -- and according to one eyewitness, she seemed to be in shock ... and, at one point, made a beeline for the bathroom.

Spears has yet to publicly comment on the results of of the police findings.

Originally Published -- 9:32 AM PT

Britney Spears Eyewitness says ... In Shock, Angry after the Slap

Britney Spears was extremely agitated after getting slapped by a security guard protecting NBA phenom Victor Wembanyama ... according to an eyewitness and photos obtained by TMZ.

TMZ broke the story ... Britney was outside Catch restaurant at the Aria Hotel Wednesday night when she saw Victor and made her way to him for a selfie. She says she tapped him on the back -- he says she grabbed him -- and Victor's security guy backhanded her across the face. Metro police are now conducting a criminal battery investigation.

An eyewitness who was dining at Catch when Britney walked in tells TMZ ... as she walked in she said in a "very animated voice" that the security guard "punched" her in the face, as she pointed at the guy who was sitting at another table.

The eyewitness says Britney's security guy went over to Victor's security and asked the guy to come over to her table and apologize. The eyewitness says the guy walked over and said "I'm sorry," and said something to the effect he didn't know it was her when he made contact.

Britney seemed in shock, according to the eyewitness, and angry. She said she couldn't believe it happened and beelined it for the bathroom.

We've learned so far ... neither Victor nor anyone else from the San Antonio Spurs has reached out to Britney, and she is not pleased.

We covered it all in the latest episode of The TMZ Podcast, available on all podcast platforms.

Dennis Rodman Gets Huge Tattoo On His Face ... Portrait Of Girlfriend!!!

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RODMAN'S NEW INK

Dennis Rodman took the saying "tattoo my name so I know it's real" to the extreme ... getting a portrait of his girlfriend's face inked on his cheek!!

The NBA legend hit up 'Black Ink Crew's Van Johnson on Thursday, getting tattooed at the artist's home. Dennis shared video of the new tattoo on social media.

As for anyone who thinks the ink is fake, Johnson tells TMZ Sports it's "really real," saying the job took a little over an hour to finish.

"He was a champ, he sat through it," Johnson says. "Pretty random, but he love the hell out that girl."

We're told Dennis and his GF love the piece, but not everyone feels the same way ... some fans in the comments weren't exactly loving the new artwork, with one person writing, "You should have tried to talk him outta that my G."

Another person wrote ... "His girlfriend should have been against that. Shows her immaturity to NOT STOP him from doing this."

Though, it's a safe bet Dennis, who has a ton of tattoos and has never been shy when expressing himself, isn't losing sleep over a few negative Instagram comments.

There's just one thing ... now you have to stay together forever! 💖

Nikki McCray-Penson Former WNBA Star Dead At 51

Former WNBA star and ex-Tennessee Lady Volunteers hooper Nikki McCray-Penson has tragically passed away at 51 years old.

The heartbreaking news was confirmed to The Tennesean on Friday by Rutgers University, where McCray-Penson had been working as an assistant coach for the women's basketball team.

The school did not provide a cause of death ... but Univ. of Tenn. reporter Maria Cornelius said McCray-Penson passed away after battling breast cancer for a second time.

The former guard starred at Tennessee in the 1990s ... winning SEC Player of the Year twice (1994, 1995) -- as well as earning Kodak All-American honors twice.

Following her stint with the Vols, she went on to become a three-time WNBA All-Star ... while playing eight seasons for the Mystics, Fever, Mercury, Silver Stars and Sky.

She also won two gold Olympic medals with Team USA in her career ... and was inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 2012.

Her coaching tenure began in 2006 ... when she was hired to be an assistant on Western Kentucky's staff. She later became a head coach for Old Dominion, where she won C-USA Coach of the Year in 2019-2020. She then had a stint as Mississippi State's head coach ... before she began her career at Rutgers in 2022.

McCray-Penson also had a significant impact off the court ... she was selected by Bill Clinton to be a member of the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. She was also picked by the Library of Congress as a speaker for the Women's History Month Address in 1999.

News of the death has rocked the basketball world ... with many stars remembering her fondly after learning of her passing.

"Nikki McCray : Sweet person and cold hooper!," ex-NBA star Chris Webber wrote. "Rest in Peace."

Added Dick Vitale, "I am so heartbroken hearing this news a few minutes ago about Nikki McCray - Penson . Loved everything about Nikki - she was a Hall of Famer as a player & as a person . May Nikki RIP."

Lady Vols senior Rickea Jackson, who played under McCray-Penson at Mississippi St., also tweeted her condolences to the McCray-Penson family.

"One of the most beautiful souls I've ever met," Jackson said. "The one who genuinely went out their way to understand me when I was so misunderstood. The one who was always there."

"You fought so long and hard and I am grateful to have known you. I love you. Rest easy."

RIP

NFL STAR JOSH ALLEN MAKING OUT WITH HAILEE STEINFELD ... Pool PDA in Mexico!!!

Josh Allen appears to be getting a lot more serious with Hailee Steinfeld … the two were spotted in a heavy makeout sesh while on vacation in Mexico!!!

The Buffalo Bills quarterback and the actress spent their Fourth of July south of the border, packing on the PDA during a romantic getaway.

Josh and Hailee looked to be all over each other in the resort pool, wrapping their arms around one another and sucking face.

Hailee showed off her body with a red bikini ... and Josh showed off his muscles with some board shorts ... no wonder they couldn't keep their hands -- and lips -- to themselves.

Josh and Hailee haven't publicly confirmed they are in a romantic relationship yet ... but the signs clearly appear to be there ... and we previously saw them get cozy back in May during a sushi dinner in New York City.

Now, Josh and Hailee are going international ... and kissing.

¡Órale!

Guardians Prospect George Valera Shoves Ump During Game ... Incites Wild Brawl!!!

George Valera -- arguably the most touted prospect in the entire Cleveland Guardians farm system -- has found himself in some seriously hot water ... after he shoved an umpire during a game on Thursday night.

The wild scene all went down in the third inning of the Columbus Clippers' tilt against the Nashville Sound ... when Valera -- who was playing centerfield for the Clips -- stepped into the box for his second at-bat of the night.

Broadcast video from the game shows during the middle of the AB -- Valera appeared to take exception to something Sound catcher Alex Jackson said ... and he confronted him about it, halting play.

The two then got so heated, the home plate ump tried to intervene -- but that didn't stop Valera from sticking his finger in Jackson's mask. A few moments later, Valera pushed the ump in what seemed to be an effort to get to Jackson.

The shove ignited an all-out brawl on the field ... as both benches cleared to back their guys. Pushing and shoving then ensued -- before, thankfully, cooler heads prevailed.

Both Valera and Jackson ended up getting thrown out of the game over it all. It's unclear if Valera will face further punishment for putting his hands on an ump.

Valera, 22, is the No. 2-rated prospect in the Guardians' system ... and prior to the start of this year, there was a belief he could get the call up to Cleveland's Big League roster this season.

Lance Armstrong Confronted On 'Stars On Mars' ... Over 'Disheartening' Transgender Remarks

Lance Armstrong's opinions on transgender athletes have rubbed a lot of people the wrong way recently … including a pair of his "Stars on Mars" castmates, who actually confronted him about it all while he was on the competition show.

The former cycling star has shared his two cents on the matter over the last few weeks repeatedly ... especially after filming an episode of his "The Forward" podcast with Caitlyn Jenner.

On the pod, he and Jenner spoke about trans women competing against biological females -- and the two appeared to share the opinion that there should be a separate category for the parties, due to what they believed was an unfair advantage of being born a male.

While filming "Stars on Mars," Armstrong made no attempts to distance himself from that stance ... telling Ronda Rousey he doesn't see why it'd be "unfair" to introduce a new category to the sports competition landscape to assuage the issues.

Quickly, however, Tinashe jumped in to confront him over the thought process.

"We just have to care about if you other-ise people," the "2-On" singer said on the new Fox show. "It's not good for their mental health."

When Armstrong asked her to expound, she added, "Like, kind of, like, exclude them from the same spaces and places that everyone else is."

Armstrong swore he wasn't trying to exclude anyone with his ideas ... saying, "I sound like a right-wing lunatic. I'm not. I'm the most liberal person -- but from a sporting perspective ..."

But, Tinashe wasn't having any of it ... later telling Fox cameras, "I definitely didn't think that he should be the spokesperson for that."

Adam Rippon -- an openly gay figure skater -- also chimed in on Armstrong's remarks ... making it clear he was not a fan of them either.

"That is so disheartening," he said.

Rippon further explained he believed Armstrong's words could shake up the whole dynamic of the show going forward.

The full episode is slated to air on Fox on Monday night.

Britney Spears Victor Wembanyama is Wrong ... I Didn't Grab him, I just Tapped his Shoulder

Britney Spears says NBA phenom Victor Wembanyama is simply wrong when he says she "grabbed" him from behind ... she insists it was simply a friendly tap.

Britney is responding to the story TMZ broke early Thursday ... that the head of Victor's security backhanded her in the face outside Catch restaurant in Vegas. The account she just posted on social media aligns with what she told the police.

Britney says, "I recognized an athlete in my hotel lobby as I was heading to dinner. I later went to a restaurant at a different hotel and saw him again." That hotel is Aria.

She goes on to describe the encounter ... "I decided to approach him and congratulate him on his success.  It was really loud, so I tapped him on the shoulder to get his attention."

Now the dispute ... "I am aware the players statement where he mentions 'I grabbed him from behind' but I simply tapped him on the shoulder."

As for the slap, she says "His security then back handed me in the face without looking back, in front of the crowd. Nearly knocking me down and causing my glasses off my face."

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SHE GRABBED ME
Nate Ryan/ KENS5

Britney adds she herself was "swarmed" by around 20 fans on her way into Aria, noting, "My security team didn't hit any of them."

As we reported, Victor spoke with reporters -- including KENS 5 reporter Nate Ryan -- after practice Thursday to detail his side of how things went down.

Britney says, "“I also don’t appreciate nor do I thin this is a laughing matter. Watching the player smile and laugh was cruel and demoralizing with the situation that took place. I am 5’3 and he’s 7’4…”

Sources close to Britney tell us she hasn't yet heard from Victor's team and she's pissed about it ... thinking someone would've at least reached out to apologize.

TMZ spoke to an eyewitness who says he not only saw the head of security slap Britney, he heard the impact.  He also says Britney was furious, screaming "This is f****** America."

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TMZ.com

As we reported, Metro PD has launched a criminal investigation and interviewed Britney this morning at her hotel. We're told the case will "likely" be referred to the D.A. for review.

Victor Wembanyama Britney 'Grabbed Me From Behind' ... Before Security Slap Incident

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SHE GRABBED ME
Nate Ryan/ KENS5

Victor Wembanyama says Britney Spears didn't just tap him on the shoulder before a security guard put his hand on her on Wednesday night ... the NBA star says she full-on "grabbed me from behind" -- sparking the intense scene.

The San Antonio Spurs' top pick explained his side of the situation to KENS 5 reporter Nate Ryan shortly after a workout on Thursday afternoon ... saying it all went down as he was walking into Catch restaurant in the ARIA Hotel in Las Vegas.

Wembanyama -- the most touted basketball prospect since LeBron James -- said there were a lot of people in the hallway near the eatery calling for him ... but he was instructed not to stop in order to avoid creating a chaotic scene.

One woman, though, kept asking for him ... before she ran up to him and put her arms around him.

He later learned that person was Spears.

"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."

Wembanyama said he didn't know the woman was Spears until "a couple hours later" because he never saw her face.

"At first I was like, 'No, you're joking,'" he said. "But, yeah, it turns out it was Britney Spears."

Spears' husband, Sam Asghari, also addressed his side of the incident in a pair of Instagram posts Thursday afternoon ... chastising Wembanyama's security guard for getting physical with the singer during the incident.

"The violent behavior of an out-of-control security guard should not cast a shadow on the accomplishment of a great young man on the rise @wemby," he said. "The blame should fall on the coward who did this, the people who hired him without proper vetting, and a systemic culture of disregard for women within sports and entertainment."

Sam went on to say he believed Spears was "physically assaulted," and he demanded to see changes "come from the top."

"And I look forward to those changes," he said.