The NBA witnessed a historic moment Tuesday night when Miami Heat star Bam Adebayo etched his name into basketball history with one of the most epic scoring performances ever.
Adebayo and the Heat might not be in the thick of the NBA title conversation, but Tuesday’s game against the Washington Wizards proved to be a historic outing.
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The Heat star became the second-highest single-game scorer in NBA history. Adebayo’s 83-point showing against Washington only trails Wilt Chamberlain’s legendary 100-point game in March 1962.
NBA's ALL-TIME record for points in a single game:
1. Wilt Chamberlain: 100 points
2. Bam Adebayo, 83 points
3. Kobe Bryant, 81 points
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) March 11, 2026
Meanwhile, Adebayo’s incredible showing also marks the highest single-game point total in Heat history. LeBron James previously held the scoring record with 61 points in 2014 against the Charlotte Bobcats.
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The 28 year old star has played with Miami since being drafted out of Kentucky in 2017. However, the three-time NBA All-Star’s legendary performance put him into exclusive all-time company.
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Adebayo passes elite NBA legends like Kobe Bryant, David Robinson, Elgin Baylor and rising star Luka Doncic for the most single-game points.
Washington Wizards center Alex Sarr defends Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo during an NBA game. Mandatory Credit: Rhona Wise-Imagn Images
These are the players that have scored the most points during an NBA game.
NBA stars with most single-game points
Wilt Chamberlain – 100 points
Bam Adebayo – 83 points
Kobe Bryant – 81 points
Wilt Chamberlain – 78 points
Wilt Chamberlain (twice), David Thompson, Luka Doncic – 73 points
Wilt Chamberlain – 72 points
Elgin Baylor, David Robinson, Donovan Mitchell, Damian Lillard – 71 points
Wilt Chamberlain, Joel Embiid, Devin Booker – 70 points
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