Bam Adebayo Drops 83 Points, Makes History for the Miami Heat
Published March 11 2026, 11:41 a.m. ET
Ask any NBA player, and the No. 1 goal in a season is to win a championship. The title signifies players and teams as the best, while also giving them a sweet bonus for their efforts. However, while winning a championship is no easy feat, given the league's level of talent, many players want to make an impact on the game. And that’s typically done by breaking records and showing the world why you should be named with the greats.
Bam Adebayo of the Miami Heat is considered one of the league’s versatile big men. Frequently moving between the 4 and the 5 positions (power forward and center), he has shown his unique finesse as an athlete and helped make his team a contender. And while fans can count on him for his two-way impact, he has now made history by having an 83-point game. Here’s the full scoop.
Bam Adebayo has made history with his 83-point game.
Whether you like it or not, Bam’s amazing performance during the Miami Heat vs. Washington Wizards game on Tuesday, March 10, 2026, has solidified the player as an icon. Not only did he have one heck of a game, but he also scored an astonishing 83 points and broke a few records while at it.
Bam scored 31 points in the first quarter, 12 in the second, 19 in the third, and 21 in the fourth. He made 36 out of 43 free throws throughout the game, breaking Wilt Chamberlain and Adrian Dantley’s record for most free throws in a game.
Not to mention, Bam’s 83 points are the most scored in the NBA since Kobe Bryant's 81 in 2006.
“An absolutely surreal night,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said per the NBA. “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.”
Thanks to Bam’s incredible showing, the rank of most points scored in an NBA game starts with Chamberlain’s 100 points in 1962, Bam coming in the No. 2 spot, and Kobe’s 81-point game. The 28-year-old was in shock at the numbers, sharing that he’d never thought he would be named in that prestigious club.
“Wilt, me, then Kobe,” Bam said. “It sounds crazy. For me, it was just remaining calm, remaining locked in and understanding that I can go for something special.”
He continued: “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.”
Fellow NBA players gave Bam Adebayo his flowers for the historic performance.
It’s only right to praise and respect greatness. As Bam’s performance has set social media and he league ablaze, fellow players have been giving the star his props.
“BAM BAM BAM,” former Heat forward LeBron James posted on social media. Lebron once had the Heat’s single-game record of 61 points, set in 2014. And now, he’s fallen to the No. 2 spot.
Houston Rockets star Kevin Durant also gave Bam his props.
"I couldn't believe it when I was hearing it in real time," Kevin said per the outlet. "I looked at the stat sheet, and it was pretty crazy. [He had] 40 shots, 40 free throws, 20 3s -- that takes a lot of stamina, man. ... Huge accomplishment. It will be something we talk about forever."
Giannis Antetokounmpo also congratulated Bam on the accomplishment and put it into perspective.
"It doesn't matter how you got there. All that matters is you got it," the Milwaukee Bucks star said, per the outlet. "Like in 10, 20, 30 years from now, no one is going to remember how many free throws he shot. I don't think I remember how many shots Kobe shot, or how many free throws he made, or how many 3s. All you remember is 81."
Congratulations Bam! Fans are now looking forward to seeing if he follows suit in the next Miami Heat game.