March 10, 2026 started like a standard NBA night on paper, with the Miami Heat facing the Washington Wizards and most people expecting the Heat to handle business. Instead, Bam Adebayo turned the game into one of the most unforgettable scoring explosions the league has ever seen.
Adebayo poured in 83 points, giving him the highest-scoring game since Kobe Bryant’s 81-point masterpiece in 2006. It also put him second all-time in NBA history for points in a game, trailing only Wilt Chamberlain’s 100-point outing in 1962.
At the 2026 ESPY Awards, Adebayo was asked about that night again, and he didn’t pretend it was all smooth sailing. He had good memories of the performance, but he also pointed to the strain that came with carrying so much of the load.
"How exhausted I was. We had guys out, mainly 3 of our 5 starters...
We were in this funk. Obviously, D Wade did add by saying we had no buzz in the city.
Love you, D-Wade. I just got going early, and it just went from there," Adebayo said when recalling the 83-point performance.
The reaction around the game was mixed at the time, with plenty of backlash over how it happened. That has shifted since then, and the performance is now remembered as one of the defining nights of Adebayo’s career. He knows exactly what it means, but he also remembers the responsibility he was carrying while the Heat were going through that rough stretch.
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