Nick Young Blasts Bam Adebayo's Historic 83-Point Game

Former NBA player calls out Adebayo's record-breaking performance against the Wizards.

Mar. 13, 2026 at 3:19am

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Former NBA player Nick Young criticized Miami Heat's Bam Adebayo for scoring 83 points in a single game, the second-highest total in NBA history. Young made disparaging remarks about Adebayo's achievement and the Wizards' defense, while also suggesting that the late Kobe Bryant would be upset about his record being broken.

Why it matters

Adebayo's historic 83-point game has sparked debate and controversy within the NBA community, with some players like Nick Young expressing disapproval and disbelief over the record-breaking performance. This highlights the competitive nature of the sport and the reverence with which certain records, like Kobe Bryant's 81-point game, are held.

The details

Bam Adebayo scored 83 points in the Miami Heat's game against the Washington Wizards on March 10, 2026, the second-highest single-game total in NBA history. This surpassed Kobe Bryant's 81-point game in 2006. Former NBA player Nick Young, who played for the Denver Nuggets, criticized Adebayo's achievement, using profanity and suggesting that Bryant would be upset about his record being broken. Young also targeted the Wizards' defense, calling them a 'G-League team'.

  • Bam Adebayo scored 83 points in a game against the Washington Wizards on March 10, 2026.
  • Nick Young made his comments about Adebayo's performance on the Gil's Arena show on March 11, 2026.

The players

Bam Adebayo

A Miami Heat player who scored 83 points in a single game, the second-highest total in NBA history.

Nick Young

A former NBA player who played for the Denver Nuggets and is now a commentator, who criticized Adebayo's record-breaking performance.

Kobe Bryant

The late NBA legend whose 81-point game in 2006 was previously the second-highest single-game total in league history, before being surpassed by Adebayo.

Walt Chamberlain

The NBA player who holds the record for the most points scored in a single game, with 100 points in 1962.

Washington Wizards

The opposing team that Bam Adebayo scored 83 points against, which Nick Young criticized for their poor defense.

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What they’re saying

“Hey man, f--k Bam. F--k Bam and the Wizards. F--k all that s--t. All that records are supposed to be broken? Hell nah. Did you see that?”

— Nick Young, Former NBA Player (Gil's Arena)

“Bam...he nice, but he not 83 nice, like c'mon, man. Kobe probably rolling over in his grave right now, like, 'You? You?!' Fuck that! Do you see how he was going for it at 74? That was nasty!”

— Nick Young, Former NBA Player (Gil's Arena)

“BAM BAM BAM”

— LeBron James (X)

“My goodness Bam Couldn't happen to a better person”

— Theo Pinson, Former NBA Player (X)

“83 for CAP”

— Dwyane Wade, Former NBA Player (X)

What’s next

The NBA community will likely continue to debate the significance of Bam Adebayo's historic 83-point game and whether it surpasses Kobe Bryant's previous record.

The takeaway

Bam Adebayo's 83-point game has sparked strong reactions from current and former NBA players, highlighting the reverence with which certain records are held in the league. This event underscores the competitive nature of professional basketball and the ongoing discussions around the evolution and significance of individual player achievements.