Just days after throwing a star-studded Fourth of July party in the Hamptons, Fanatics CEO Michael Rubin hosted another celebrity-studded event.
Rubin held the NBA Summer League party out in Las Vegas — where athletes getting their first run in the league gather.
Reports from earlier this week detailed that the night would feature a performance from rap artist Lil Baby. Celebrities such as fellow rapper Meek Mill and comedian Kevin Hart were also reported to be planning to attend.
Current NBA stars were also in attendance — including league MVP Joel Embiid and Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum.
But the party was also supposed to include three of the top stars in this year’s NBA draft: Scoot Henderson of the Blazers, Brandon Miller of the Hornets and first overall pick Victor Wembanyama.
But while photographs of Wembanyama did not appear – many photos of other participants have.
Rubin was spotted with Lil Baby as well as NBA star James Harden throughout the evening, and he was also photographed with former NBA player Jalen Rose, who was recently fired from ESPN.
Other NBA stars such as Trey Young were in attendance, as was San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel.
Fellow first-rounders Jordan Hawkins, Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Jarace Walker were photographed at the event. Women’s basketball players such as Australian Liz Cambage and LSU women’s star Hailey Van Lith were also in attendance.
Celebrities such as model Winnie Harlow, rap icon Flavor Flav and reporter Taylor Rooks also had their moment in front of the cameras.
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But interestingly, pictures of Wembanyama did not emerge from the event after a media circus in Las Vegas this week.
The 19-year-old from France had his profile spiral further this week after an incident with Britney Spears.
Spears, 41, was spotted getting close to the NBA’s new star as she arrived at the Catch restaurant at the ARIA Hotel, Las Vegas, supported by her husband Sam Asghari, 29, while Wembanyama, 19, was seen leading the way with alleged striker Damian Smith.
That’s when, Spears claims, a security guard ‘backhanded me in the face’ and ‘almost knocked me over’ after she tried to meet the Frenchman.
Addressing the Spears story in the casual approach for which he is already becoming famous, Wembanyama said he thought someone was ‘jogging’ when, a few hours after the incident, he found out that the person he says , ‘grabbed him from behind’ was Spears.
But as he takes to the court in the NBA’s Summer League as a Spurs player for the first time, the Frenchman does not let that distract him.
‘I can not wait. Can’t wait, Wembanyama said Thursday of his first game. – The exercises lately have been really intense.
‘I took a little break from basketball with the draft and stuff, I 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.’
Spears’ security team has reportedly since filed a police report against the security guard in question, accusing him of assault.
Wembanyama, considered one of the most hyped basketball prospects in decades, said Spears grabbed him from behind.
“I didn’t see what happened because I went straight and we were told, ‘Don’t stop,'” Wembanyama said. ‘But that person grabbed me from behind – not my shoulder, she grabbed me from behind – and then I just know security pushed her away.’
‘I don’t know with how much power though. But security pushed her away. I didn’t stop to look so I could go in and enjoy the good dinner.’
The Spurs rookie said he was unaware of who the woman who approached him was until hours later.
“At first I was like, ‘No, you’re kidding,'” he said. ‘But, well, it turns out it was Britney Spears.’
The 19-year-old will hope he doesn’t feel the way Brady did the night after Rubin’s next party. The NFL great, 45, wrote on Instagram: ‘No one throws a party like Michael Rubin… I definitely needed a LOT of electrolytes today.’
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