The entire NBA world was shocked after the Miami Heat's Bam Adebayo scored 83 points en route to becoming the highest single-game scorer in the modern era, second in the NBA's history.
After surpassing Kobe Bryant's 81-point game in one of the more unexpected performances ever, Adebayo spoke to media usurping one of his childhood idols.
"To me, it's wondering what he would say. Seeing somebody, obviously you've seen 60, 70, but like to be 83 and you pass him, in my mind, it's like, 'What would he say to me?," Adebayo said. "Because I've always wanted to have a conversation with him, but he'll probably say 'Go do it again', but just a surreal moment, being in the company with somebody you idolized growing up."
Adebayo converted on 20 of 43 field goal attempts, seven of 22 from three, 36 of 43 from the free throw line (both new records), along with nine rebounds, three assists, two steals and two blocks.
He also broke LeBron James' career-high in points, (61), which also was the previous franchise single-game scoring record, through three quarters.
"Like I said, man, came into this league as a defender and a lob threat and I really got emotional. It didn't hit me until like, I hugged her and then I hugged my mom and then obviously my trainers, Ronnie Taylor, Kevin Graves, even Caron Butler and those are the emotional moments because they see me, you know, at my lowest behind the scenes," Adebayo continued. "They've seen me like at the lowest at the bottom of the bottom, trying to figure out how to really pick myself up and to have this moment and share it with all of them, it's a pretty emotional moment. I wish I could relive it twice. So this is a, a special moment. It's Wilt [Chamberlain], me and Kobe [Bryant], which sounds crazy."
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Alexander Toledo is a contributor to Miami Heat On SI and producer/co-host of the Five on the Floor podcast, covering the Heat and NBA. He can be reached at Twitter: @tropicalblanket