Charles Barkley, a former player-turned-NBA analyst, opined on Bam Adebayo’s record-breaking 83-point performance in the Heat–Wizards game, suggesting it wouldn’t have been possible during his era.
After a historic night at Kaseya Center, many argued that Adebayo’s feat didn’t look as organic as Kobe Bryant’s, whose 81-point performance was second behind Wilt Chamberlain’s 100 for two decades before Adebayo surpassed it.
Charles Barkley Takes a Jab at Bam Adebayo’s 83-Point Performance
A first-round pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, Adebayo saw his stars align nine years later on March 10. During Miami’s 150-129 win against the Wizards, his 83-point stunner saw him surpass Bryant and put up the second-highest single-game point-scoring total in NBA history.
However, many argued that the moment was forced, especially since it appeared to be a planned feat aided by team effort. The Wizards’ defense was anything but coherent, and Adebayo was getting passes as his squad strategized to maximize his scoring in that game.
Among the many records Adebayo broke was the record for free-throw attempts (36-of-43). In comparison, Bryant made 18 of 20 free throws in his 81-point game against the Toronto Raptors in 2006.
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Naturally, this striking contrast was brought up by several in the NBA community. In a recent conversation with his co-analysts on ESPN, Barkley bluntly remarked that Adebayo’s outing wouldn’t have been possible had he played during his time.
“Well, first of all, he is so lucky. He’s playing in 2026. So we would have knocked him on his a**. We would have killed him back in the day. And I’m not doing any hyperbole or anything. In my day, if you’re up 20 and shooting a three, we’re going to put your a** in the stands. That was like an unwritten rule.”
Amid the rising criticism of his performance, Adebayo remained unfazed and said, “I’ve got 70 with, what, nine minutes left to go in the game? You think I’m not going for it? If you get that close to chasing greatness, that’s the point of chasing it, so you can surpass it.”
Coach Erik Spoelstra also backed his player, praising Adebayo’s standout performance. “We’ve already lost a game, you know, in that kind of situation,” Spoelstra said. “We have players [who] are sitting out. And I spoke to Bam about what I want, as our best player and team captain, for him to be locked in and ready.”
After the historic performance, the Heat beat the Milwaukee Bucks 112-105 on March 12 to extend their winning streak to seven games, with Adebayo scoring 21 points. Miami’s streak came to an end on Saturday night in their 117-121 defeat to the Orlando Magic, with Adebayo contributing 20 points.
