NBA Commissioner Adam Silver gave a vote of confidence on Thursday to the leagues No. 1 overall draft pick Victor Wembanyama after a bizarre encounter with pop star Britney Spears.
The towering San Antonio Spurs rookie was thrust into the highlight last week after the “Toxic” singer alleged that certainly one of Wembanyama’s security guards slapped her within the face as she tried to approach him at a Las Vegas restaurant.
“I feel the media has covered him in an intense way, but that’s a part of being within the NBA and positively comes with being the No. 1 pick,” Silver told The Post during an interview at Allen & Co.’s annual conference on the ritzy Sun Valley resort Idaho.
“At 7-foot-4, he’s going to get attention regardless of what he does and regardless of where he’s, and I feel he’s handling it incredibly well,” Silver added.
Spears later demanded that Wembanyama issue a public apology.
Las Vegas police cleared the safety guard of any wrongdoing and the 19-year-old French-born star has tried to maintain out of the highlight because the incident.
Spears accused Wembanyama’s security guard of slapping her.AFP via Getty Images
Spears later demanded that Wembanyama issue a public apology.
Silver said Wembanyama will learn to take the huge media attention in stride – and stressed that he has a powerful supporting solid around him.
“Truthfully, the league depends upon the media coverage,” Silver said. “He’ll adjust to it as time goes on. Based on the time I’ve spent with him, I feel he’s as much as it.”
“I even have tremendous confidence within the San Antonio Spurs and the Players Association, who also proceed to work with him,” Silver added.
Las Vegas police cleared the safety guard of any wrongdoing within the incident.TMZ
Wembanyama will enter his first NBA season as certainly one of the league’s most closely-watched prospects in years and is prone to be a major TV rankings draw.
He has already faced some criticism over his play within the NBA’s summer league. The middle shot just 2-for-13 from the sphere in his debut, leading some to take a position about his ability to regulate to the league’s physical form of play.
Wembanyama bounced back with a powerful 27-point, 12-rebound performance in his second game.
The Spurs are reportedly shutting him down for the remainder of the Summer League, with Wembanyama purportedly stating he plans to “disappear from the media” for the remainder of the offseason.
