Bam Adebayo enjoyed a remarkable night for the Miami Heat against the Washington Wizards
Bam Adebayo described his 83-point night against the Washington Wizards as “surreal”.
Adebayo’s effort for the Miami Heat moved him second on the all-time list of points scored in an NBA game, behind only Wilt Chamberlain, who scored 100 in 1962. Kobe Bryant, who remains one of Adebayo’s inspirations, is now third with 81.
The 28-year-old finished 20-of-43 from the field, 36-of-43 from the foul line and 7-for-22 from 3-point range as the Wizards were brushed aside 150-129.
With the game won long before the buzzer, the night became more and more about Adebayo.
“For me, it was just remaining calm, remaining locked in and understanding that I can go for something special,” Adebayo said. “I didn’t think it was going to be 83. But to have this moment is surreal, because like I said, man, to be able to do it at home, in front of my mom, in front of my people, in front of the home fans, this is a mark in history that will forever be remembered.
“Wilt, me, then Kobe. It sounds crazy.”
We are blessed to have witnessed that – Heat coach Spoelstra
Adebayo scored 31 points in a blistering first quarter and had 43 at half-time.
“An absolutely surreal night,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “Obviously, we’ve been blessed to have been part of a lot of big moments in this arena. This one, it just happened. Moments happen and I’m grateful that we’re all able to be a part of it and witness it.”
It was a chastening night for the Wizards, whose 29th-ranked defense was hopelessly outmatched.
“You’ve got to give him credit,” Wizards coach Brian Keefe said. “In the first half he shot the ball terrific, he scored the ball really well. Obviously, he came out and had a little bit in the third, too. They obviously kept him in the game, and there was a lot of fouls called – 16 free throws in the fourth quarter. I was trying to take the ball out of his hands. He still got some free throws 40 feet from the rim. I can’t explain some of those calls. That’s all I got to say on that.”
James hails brilliant Adebayo
Adebayo now has the Heat’s single-game record, which had been held by LeBron James, who scored 61 in 2014.
James wrote on X: “BAM, BAM, BAM.”
Houston’s Kevin Durant, another long-time star in the NBA and Adebayo’s USA team-mate, added his praise, saying: “I looked at the stat sheet. It was pretty crazy: 40 shots, 40 free throws, 20 3s, that takes a lot of stamina, man. It takes a lot of energy to go out there and put those shots up and also make them, set a record, surpass Kobe as the second-highest-scoring player in the history of the game. I mean, damn. Congrats to him. Huge, huge accomplishment, something we’re going to be talking about forever.”
Top 10 single-game scores in NBA history
| Player | Points | Game | Date |
| 1. Wilt Chamberlain | 100 | PHILADELPHIA v New York | March 2, 1962 |
| 2. Bam Adebayo | 83 | MIAMI v Washington | March 10, 2026 |
| 3. Kobe Bryant | 81 | LOS ANGELES LAKERS v Toronto | Jan 22, 2006 |
| 4. Wilt Chamberlain | 78 | PHILADELPHIA v Los Angeles Lakers | Dec 8, 1961 |
| 5. Luka Doncic | 73 | DALLAS v Atlanta | Jan 26, 2024 |
| 6. Wilt Chamberlain | 73 | PHILADELPHIA v Chicago | Jan 13, 1962 |
| 7. Wilt Chamberlain | 73 | SAN FRANCISCO v New York | Nov 16, 1962 |
| 8. David Thompson | 73 | DENVER v Detroit | April 9, 1978 |
| 9. Wilt Chamberlain | 72 | SAN FRANCISCO v Los Angeles Lakers | Nov 3, 1962 |
| 10. Damian Lillard, Donovan Mitchell, David Robinson, Elgin Baylor | All 71 |
