One of the happiest people after Bam Adebayo’s 83-point eruption was a former Milwaukee Bucks assistant head coach.
Sam Mitchell, who was an assistant for Milwaukee in the early 2000s, was ecstatic after seeing Kobe Bryant’s legendary 81-point performance in 2006 surpassed by Adebayo in the Miami Heat’s 150-129 win at home over the Washington Wizards on Tuesday.
Former Bucks assistant witnesses 20-year nightmare end after Adebayo’s historic game
The context here is that Mitchell was the coach of the Toronto Raptors team that got lit up by Bryant in 2006.
So after two decades, Mitchell can finally say that he’s no longer the opposing coach of the team a player scored against for the second-highest point total in a game in NBA history.
While doing a broadcast for TSN during the game between the Toronto Raptors and the Houston Rockets, Mitchell sent a message to Wizards head coach Brian Keefe, who now owns that embarrassing distinction.
“You’ve got to take it on the chin like a man, like I did, go congratulate the young man,” Mitchell said. “Hey, I think the world of COVID, coach, is not the worst thing that’s going to happen to you, but it’s going to feel like it for a long time.”
Mitchell added, “Better you than me. Congratulations. Thank you for taking my spot.”
Sam Mitchell, the coach of the Toronto Raptors when Kobe Bryant dropped 81 points, was in the studio sipping on champagne (Ginger Ale) after Bam Adebayo dropped 83 points. 😭 💀
“I’m not that dumbass that everybody thought I was.” 🤣🤣🤣
( 🎥: TSN) pic.twitter.com/7VLZtlSlJH
— Omer Osman (@OmerOsman200) March 11, 2026
A former winner of the NBA Coach of the Year Award, Mitchell has stories to tell about the night Kobe dropped 81 points on this team. He may still recount it to others – but with a major change in the narrative, with Keefe now taking his place.
In the same way, Keefe will have his own nightmare to share about a player who roasted his squad for over 80 points in an NBA game.
Oct 23, 2015; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves interim head coach Sam Mitchell in the fourth quarter against the Milwaukee Bucks at Target Center. The Minnesota Timberwolves beat the Milwaukee Bucks 112-108. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports
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