A record-setting night from Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo continues to stir debate across the basketball world, and now a former Utah Jazz All-Star has weighed in with a blunt assessment.
According to Sporting News, Gordon Hayward questioned the legitimacy of Adebayo’s historic 83-point outing, arguing that the circumstances surrounding the performance made it difficult to view the feat as meaningful for the league.
Speaking about the game days after it happened, Hayward said the scoring explosion didn’t resemble the kind of competition typically associated with record-breaking performances.
“I don’t think it’s great for the league,” Hayward said. “It kind of feels like a pickup game when you’re watching.”
He also pointed to Adebayo’s shot selection and the game environment as reasons for skepticism: “For him to shoot 43 free throws and 22 threes, when that’s not what he does… and again, the Wizards too. With all these teams tanking, it kind of makes it feel not legit.”
Hayward’s comments stand out partly because of his connection to one of the NBA’s most famous scoring nights. The former Jazz star was on the court during Kobe Bryant’s final game in 2016, when the Los Angeles Lakers legend poured in 60 points in a dramatic victory over Utah.
Hayward referenced that moment while reflecting on the difference between Bryant’s farewell performance and the environment surrounding Adebayo’s milestone.
The criticism arrives just days after Adebayo etched his name into the NBA record books. In Miami’s 150–129 win over the Washington Wizards, the three-time All-Star exploded for 83 points, surpassing Bryant’s 81-point game and moving into the No. 2 spot for most points scored in a single NBA contest. Only Wilt Chamberlain’s legendary 100-point performance remains ahead of him.
Adebayo’s night also drew attention because of who was in the building. Las Vegas Aces superstar A’ja Wilson, his girlfriend and a four-time WNBA MVP, watched the performance unfold from courtside.
After the game, Adebayo credited Wilson as a key motivator in his development. “The behind-the-scenes, the workouts, and the conversations, they’re very motivating,” he said. “Obviously, you see what she does. You get inspired every day by that. Thankful to have her in my life.”
Wilson celebrated the milestone with a playful social media post acknowledging that Adebayo now holds the highest single-game scoring mark between the two of them. “Welp, won’t have the highest career high in the house anymore,” she wrote on Threads.