Watch: Ben Simmons confronts fan for calling him 'trash', Dennis Schroder & other Nets players join the altercation
Brooklyn Nets veteran Ben Simmons got heckled by a fan after the game against the Orlando Magic on Friday. After the game concluded, Simmons walked past some Magic fans on his way to the locker room. As he was passing through, a fan could be heard calling him "trash."
Simmons responded by yelling back at the fan, asking why he didn't say that while on the court. This also caused his teammate Dennis Schroder to head back toward the fans to ask who was smack-talking Simmons.
Watch as the tense moment unfolded in this clip posted on X (formerly Twitter).
Eventually, other Nets players also got involved, crowding the fan who was heckling Ben Simmons. Staff also intervened while other fans filmed the altercation. Eventually, the heckler was tossed out.
Heckling is commonplace in sports. Fans often try to get into the heads of opposing players by jeering and booing loudly. On some occasions, the home team can also be subjected to the same treatment if they play badly enough.
However, there are occasions when a fan takes it too far, causing players to respond. Thankfully, security was there to prevent the situation from escalating further.
Also read: "Absolutely crazy Draymond Green backup" - NBA analyst breaks down Ben Simmons' options as 2025 trade deadline approaches
Ben Simmons had a quiet game against the Orlando Magic
The pressure of playing in front of a hostile crowd may have affected Ben Simmons' performance against the Magic. In nearly 24 minutes of action, he only attempted five shots and made two.
He also went 3-of-4 from the free-throw line, for a total of seven points. He also had six rebounds, three assists, one rebound and one block. Additionally, he turned the ball over four times.
He was the only Nets starter to not score in double figures. The quiet game from Simmons may have contributed to his team's 15-point loss (116-101).
Cam Thomas led all Nets players in the scoring department with 24. Meanwhile, Dennis Schroder, who was the first person to defend Simmons from his heckler after the game, had a solid outing. He scored 20 points on a 7-of-12 clip including 3-of-4 from behind the 3-point line. Schroder also had six assists and one steal.
Brooklyn struggled to contain Franz Wagner, who led all scorers with 29 (10-of-19). He would be the only Magic player to score over 20 points, with the second highest being Moritz Wagner with 18. Paolo Banchero added 15 while Jalen Suggs, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Anthony Black all registered 10 each.
With this defeat, Ben Simmons and the Nets fall to an 0-2 start. Their next chance to get revenge against the Orlando Magic will come on Nov. 29.