Ex-Celtics Guard Confronts Fan For Calling Ben Simmons ‘Trash’

Dennis Schröder, formerly of the Boston Celtics, stood in defense of Brooklyn Nets teammate Ben Simmons following Friday night’s loss to the Orlando Magic.

Simmons, who was limited to 15 games (12 starts) last season due to a season-ending lower back injury suffered in November, battled to return to action. In recent years, Simmons has become the league’s easy target for scrutiny but Schröder wasn’t having it. The No. 1 pick in the 2016 draft finished with seven points, six rebounds and three assists in 24 minutes before an Orlando fan hurled an insult toward Simmons.

“You trash,” one fan shouted at Simmons in the Kia Center player’s tunnel.

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Simmons, with his back turned walking toward Brooklyn’s locker room heard the cowardly jab from afar. Even though by that point the 28-year-old couldn’t identify which fan played the fake tough guy role, Simmons still threw a much-deserved response in return.

“Why didn’t you say it when I was there, (expletive),” Simmons replied.

Schröder, who stood ahead of Simmons, retreated toward the tunnel and quickly confronted the fan on Simmons’ behalf. Schröder is in the middle of his second season with Brooklyn and as Simmons’ teammate, and was irritated once he identified the culprit, sparking a crowd of Nets players, Magic fans and security rushing to alleviate the tensions.

“Who talking (expletive) to Ben?” Schröder asked before confronting the fan.

Simmons, a three-time All-Star, regressed in recent years. He’s averaged 6.7 points, shooting 56.9% shooting from the field (on 5.4 shot attempts) with 6.7 rebounds and six assists in the past three seasons — all played in Brooklyn. Simmons also only logged 59 appearances over the last four seasons, struggling to bounce back from missing the entire 2021-22 season, also attributed to a back injury.