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Trash talk is throughout the NBA, and Brooklyn Nets forwards Cam Johnson and Ben Simmons feel plenty of that. The latter has had his fair share of trash talk thrown at him. For instance, Simmons was called trash by a fan in October. Former point guard Dennis Schroder stuck up for Simmons in the midst of that.
However, that's only a sample of the trash talk. Even then, it wasn't filled with profanity or obscenities. Either way, Simmons and Johnson both agreed on The Young Man and The Three Podcast about how trash talk is handled in the NBA.
“Isn't it crazy that a grown a** man can come to a game and say whatever they want with no repercussions?” Simmons said. “But it is what it is. It's part of the game.”
Since leaving the Philadelphia 76ers, Simmons has endured plenty of criticism. From passing up a wide-open dunk in the 2021 playoffs to consistent injuries, some have gone after him with no repercussions. As a result, it's opened the gateway for trash talk across the league. Whether he's playing or not, it'll be there.
Nets' Ben Simmons and Cam Johnson feel the trash talk
Even with the trash talk, when the fans are on your side, it's a great thing. For example, Simmons mentioned it's one of the elements he missed about Philadelphia. Although the trash talk was there from his fanbase, they exhibit a passion unlike any other.
When a player is performing well, they'll continually have that player's support. While that support can fluctuate depending on the player's performance, that's huge for someone like Simmons. His confidence has been altered ever since that missed dunk opportunity.
Either way, he's shown promise when he's healthy. However, he's only played in a handful of games. He has the respect of his peers within the NBA, but sometimes, not outside of it. Simmons has played in 30 games this season, the most since the 2022-23, his first with the Nets.
Going back to Johnson, he hasn't endured as much as Simmons, but it's still there. He's been one of the key pieces for a struggling Nets team. Even with trade rumors surrounding him, he can continue to grow his value. At the end of the day, it won't make the trash talk go away by any means.
All Simmons and Johnson will be to endure it, as much as they can. If they want, they could take action and talk to the league itself about the matter. However, that might open a can of worms.
