Bam Adebayo becomes 2nd Heat player to score 10,000 points

All-Star forward joins Dwyane Wade as only players to reach the milestone in franchise history

Published on Mar. 9, 2026

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Miami Heat star forward Bam Adebayo scored 24 points in Sunday's win over the Detroit Pistons, reaching 10,000 career points and joining Hall of Famer Dwyane Wade as the only players in Heat history to achieve the scoring milestone. Adebayo, the team's captain, has evolved from being known primarily as a defensive player early in his career to becoming a consistent 18-point per game scorer over the past six seasons.

Why it matters

Adebayo's scoring milestone cements his status as one of the all-time great players in Heat franchise history, joining the legendary Dwyane Wade. It also highlights Adebayo's remarkable development as an all-around player, expanding his game from a defensive specialist to a two-way force capable of scoring at a high level.

The details

Adebayo entered Sunday's game just 23 points shy of 10,000 for his career. He reached the milestone with 24 points in the Heat's 121-110 win over the Eastern Conference-leading Pistons. Adebayo has now averaged at least 18 points per game for six straight seasons, and he matched his career-high with four 3-pointers made in the game. While he still has a long way to go to catch Wade's franchise-record 21,556 points, Adebayo is closing in on another team record - Udonis Haslem's all-time rebounding mark.

  • Adebayo reached the 10,000-point milestone on Sunday, March 9, 2026.
  • Adebayo is on pace to average at least 18 points per game for the sixth consecutive season.

The players

Bam Adebayo

The Miami Heat's All-Star forward and team captain, who has evolved from a defensive specialist early in his career to a consistent 18-point per game scorer over the past six seasons.

Dwyane Wade

A Hall of Famer and the Miami Heat's all-time leading scorer with 21,556 points, the only other player in franchise history to reach the 10,000-point milestone.

Udonis Haslem

The former Heat captain and the franchise's all-time leading rebounder, a record Adebayo is closing in on.

Erik Spoelstra

The Miami Heat's head coach, who regularly touts Adebayo as a Defensive Player of the Year candidate while also praising his scoring importance to the team.

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What they’re saying

“I'm someone who got drafted to play defense, and everybody thinking I was just a lob threat.”

— Bam Adebayo (nba.com)

“Just shows the growth of my game. Obviously, this organization believes in me. I've been here that long so I can get 10K with the same team. And obviously, being in the history books behind somebody like D-Wade, it's a great accomplishment.”

— Bam Adebayo (nba.com)

“He came in not known necessarily as a scorer. He's worked and willed himself into that. And for this particular team, his scoring is really important.”

— Erik Spoelstra, Miami Heat Head Coach (nba.com)

What’s next

Adebayo is now second on the Heat's all-time rebounding list behind Udonis Haslem, and he has an outside chance of catching Haslem's franchise record by the end of this season.

The takeaway

Bam Adebayo's scoring milestone cements his status as one of the all-time great players in Heat history, joining the legendary Dwyane Wade. It also highlights Adebayo's remarkable development from a defensive specialist early in his career to a consistent 18-point per game scorer, showcasing his versatility and the Heat organization's belief in his growth.