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 of all time.
Adebayo and the Heat may not be in the NBA title discussion, but Tuesday’s game against the Washington Wizards proved to be historic.
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The Heat star became the second-highest single-game scorer in NBA history. Adebayo’s 83-point performance against Washington followed Wilt Chamberlain’s legendary 100-point performance in March 1962.
The NBA’s single-game scoring records are:
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 performance also resulted in the highest single-game point total in Heat history. LeBron James previously held the scoring record with 61 points against the Charlotte Bobcats in 2014.
The 28-year-old star has played for Miami since being drafted out of Kentucky in 2017. However, his legendary performance as a three-time NBA All-Star makes him the exclusive player of all time.
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Adebayo set the record for most single-game points, beating out elite NBA legends such as Kobe Bryant, David Robinson, Elgin Baylor and rising star Luka Doncic.
Washington Wizards center Alex Sarr defends Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo during an NBA game. Mandatory Credit: Rhona Wise-Imagn Image
The players who have scored the most points in an NBA game are:
NBA star with most single game points
- Wilt Chamberlain – 100 points
- Bam Adebayo – 83 points
- Kobe Bryant – 81 points
- Wilt Chamberlain – 78 points
- Wilt Chamberlain (2), 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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