Bam Adebayo’s girlfriend, A’ja Wilson, paid tribute to his historic 83-point performance with a customized T-shirt honoring Adebayo, Kobe Bryant, and Wilt Chamberlain. The Miami Heat star surpassed Bryant on March 10, 2026, to rank second on the all-time list for most points scored in a single NBA game, behind only Chamberlain’s 100-point outing in 1962.
A’ja Wilson’s T-Shirt Tribute Honors Bam Adebayo, Kobe Bryant, and Wilt Chamberlain
Adebayo, the three-time NBA All-Star, scored 31 points in the first quarter and had 43 points by halftime, leaving the crowd roaring. As the game progressed, he reached 62 points by the end of the third quarter and concluded with a phenomenal 83 points. His free throws, 36 for 43, set an NBA record for both makes and attempts.
The 28-year-old, five-time NBA All-Defensive Team honoree shattered Bryant’s record of 81 points in a single game, a standard many wished to match in the modern era.
READ MORE: NBA World Calls Out Bam Adebayo’s Historic 83-Point Performance: ‘This Is a Disgrace to Kobe’s 81’
As Adebayo stands right behind Chamberlain in the record books, his girlfriend Wilson, who is tied for the highest single-game scoring total in WNBA history with 53 points, celebrated him with a customized T-shirt.
She sported box braids and showed off a white T-shirt featuring “100” for Chamberlain’s record, a blast emoji, and a snake. The snake referred to “Black Mamba,” a nickname closely tied to Bryant’s legacy and mindset.
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Wilson and Adebayo have often won hearts with their public displays of affection. When she won the WNBA title with the Las Vegas Aces in 2025 and was named Finals MVP for the second time, she navigated through the crowd to embrace her boyfriend, uttering only one line while in tears.
“Thank you for believing in me baby.”
Amid the celebrations, Adebayo’s recent feat sparked massive attention. Many argued that the historic moment looked less organic than past ones, as Bryant’s 81-point performance came with only 20 free-throw attempts. The Heat star was up against one of the league’s weaker defensive teams, the Washington Wizards, implying that the effort to contain Adebayo’s shots was not aggressive enough.
Some fans also felt that the team was intentionally pushing the scoring to add to their key player’s tally. In recent remarks, Adebayo silenced the criticism surrounding his historic feat, saying that what he did was chase greatness and that he would not care if anyone was “mad.”
He also added that video footage would show how he was repeatedly fouled and that his achievement came as authentically as anyone else’s.
MORE: Bam Adebayo Fires Back at 83-Point Game Critics Who ‘Never Had a Chance’ at ‘Chasing Greatness’
Coach Erik Spoelstra also apologized to no one, as he said later in an interview. He made clear to his mentee that a lot of it depended on him, as several Heat players were out with health issues.
On March 14, 2026, the Heat will share the court with the Orlando Magic. Miami will head into the game as a 3-point favorite against Orlando.
