Miami Heat star Bam Adebayo doesn’t care that people are bothered by his historic 83-point performance in March 2026.
During a press conference, the 28-year-old clapped back at his critics, saying the Washington Wizards should’ve adjusted their style of play to stop him on the hardwood.
Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra also broke his silence on Bam Adebayo’s performance and revealed he had no regrets about how the night went down.
Bam Adebayo Etches Name Into NBA History Book With Epic 83-Point Performance Against Washington Wizards
Adebayo was the talk of the town on Tuesday, March 10, 2026, when he scored 83 points in the Heat’s blowout 150-129 contest against the Wizards at Kaseya Center in Miami.
While some were amazed by the Kentucky alum’s performance, others criticized him and the Heat’s coaching staff for how he reached the historic number.
“First of all, y’all are blaming me. You should be blaming their head coach,” Adebayo said. “Get that first. I was not the one that let me go one-on-one the whole game until I had 70 then you send the double [team]. At that point, I had 70 with like nine minutes to go in the game. You think I’m not going for it?”
Bam Adebayo Calls Out The Claims That His 83-Point Performance Was ‘Unethical’
Adebayo’s performance was called into question by many, including former NBA All-Star Gordon Hayward, who slammed the league for allowing Kobe Bryant’s record to be broken by someone who is not considered a scorer.
“I think Bam is one of the best two-way players in the league at his position, but he’s not a scorer, right? So, for him to break Kobe’s record, I don’t think it’s great for the league. I think it kind of highlights how they’re already struggling,” Hayward said, per Heavy Sports.
“It kind of feels like a pickup game when you’re watching. And for him to shoot 43 free throws and 22 threes, when that’s not what he does, it almost feels like… and again, the Wizards too. With all these teams tanking, it kind of makes it feel not legit, I guess, is what I would say.”
However, Adebayo doesn’t see it that way. In fact, he called out the critics who have slammed his performance as “unethical,” saying that true competitors would’ve done the same thing if given the chance.
“Anybody in my shoes with nine minutes left? Okay. A minute, alright. Nine? Yeah I’m going for it,” he said.
Others Call Out Bam Adebayo For Allegedly Stat Padding At The End Of The Game
NBA watchers and sports fans also called out Adebayo and the Heat staff for allegedly stat padding during the fourth quarter of the game. By that point, the Heat were up 25 points, and Adebayo had already recorded 77.
Wizards head coach Brian Keefe seemed to throw shade at Adebayo and the Heat, arguing that what he saw was “not real basketball.”
“They kept him in the game, and there were a lot of foul calls — 16 free throws in the fourth quarter,” Keefe said. “[We were] just trying to take the ball out of his hands.”
Head coach Spoelstra remained unbothered by the comments, however, stating, “I apologize to absolutely no one. Period.”
Would Kobe Bryant Be Upset By Adebayo’s 83-Point Night?
During an appearance on “The Gilbert Arenas Show,” former NBA star Nick Young also voiced his displeasure with Adebayo’s epic performance against the Wizards, saying he “don’t deserve that.”
The baller also claimed Bryant is “rolling in his grave,” adding, “F-ck Bam and the Wizards.”
But would Bryant say the same thing? In a resurfaced interview, the Los Angeles Lakers legend shared a differing opinion.
“You should be happy for the person that comes after you to be able to surpass things that you’ve done,” Bryant said.
Fans Are Still Split Over Adebayo’s Performance
Social media users responded to Bryant’s resurfaced clip, respectfully disagreeing with the NBA champion’s earlier statements.
“Nawwww. As long as it is WITHIN THE INTEGRITY OF THE GAME,” someone wrote, while another said, “Bam should have sat down after he hit 80 for the respect of Kobe.”
“Difference is that this 83 points wasn’t earned, it was literally given,” a third posted, while a fourth shared, “Kobe better than me, lol. I ain’t going for the BS I saw last night.”