Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo delivered one of the most memorable performances in NBA history on Tuesday night, March 10, scoring 83 points in a 150–129 win over the Washington Wizards.
After the game, according to the Associated Press, Adebayo credited a key source of motivation behind the milestone outing: his girlfriend, Las Vegas Aces superstar A'ja Wilson, who watched the historic performance from courtside.
The scoring explosion placed Adebayo in rare company. Only two players—Wilt Chamberlain and Kobe Bryant—have ever recorded at least 80 points in a single NBA game. With his 83-point showing, Adebayo now holds the second-highest scoring total in league history and the highest by any active player.
The Heat star’s performance also followed another milestone earlier in the week, when he surpassed 10,000 career points during Miami’s game against the Detroit Pistons.
After the final buzzer, Wilson joined Adebayo during his postgame interview as the moment continued to sink in.
Wilson reflected on the moment while speaking with reporters, praising the night her partner had. “God is really just really special for him and God doesn't play about Bam,” she said.
Adebayo, meanwhile, pointed to Wilson as a daily source of inspiration behind his growth as a player. “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.”
The night carried an extra layer of emotion because Wilson almost avoided watching the early part of the game. She explained that Adebayo’s hot start made her nervous about disrupting the moment.
“I was hiding a little bit,” Wilson said. “I don’t know. I just got nervous.” She eventually took a seat along the baseline—and witnessed the biggest scoring performance of Adebayo’s career.
The couple has drawn increasing public attention in recent months after confirming their relationship earlier this year. Both athletes rank among the most decorated players in their respective leagues: Wilson is a four-time WNBA MVP and three-time champion with the Aces, while Adebayo is a multi-time NBA All-Star and a central piece of Miami’s roster.
Their relationship also recently made headlines when both players publicly pushed back against a question about their future family during an interview involving Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Wilson called the topic “strange,” while Adebayo emphasized the importance of privacy.