Bam Adebayo recalls the aftermath of his now-iconic 83-point night vs the Wizards

On March 10, 2026, people thought it would just be a normal day of NBA games. However, it was not just that; the Miami Heat were playing the Washington Wizards. Many expected a routine Heat win against the lowly Wizards, but it ended up being one of the biggest nights of a player's career.

It was Bam Adebayo's night, as he became the highest-scoring player since Kobe Bryant scored 81 points in 2006. Adebayo even one-upped him because he scored 83 points, the second-highest total for a player in a game in NBA history, only behind Wilt Chamberlain's 100-point game in 1962.

Bam Adebayo looks back at what he felt during his 83-point night

People now look back at Adebayo's performance and respect it, but at the time, there was a lot of backlash about how he got it. Thankfully, opinions have turned because people always bring up his achievements now.

At the 2026 ESPY Awards, Adebayo was once again asked about the game against the Wizards. He looked back and had some fond memories, of course, for such a big night, but there were some moments that he disliked.

MORE: Bam Adebayo gives the reason why his 83-point night was a special one

It was a legendary night for Adebayo and the Heat because he is now the second-most prolific player in a game in NBA history. Despite all the elation he felt, he did admit that there were some shaky moments that night.

"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.

That 83-point night will continue to stick to Adebayo for the rest of his career and even beyond. He knows that it was an iconic night, but he also wants to highlight the responsibility he had to carry during the Heat's struggles at that time.

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