...
By Megan Armstrong
0
Share
Newsweek is a Trust Project member
See more of our trusted coverage when you search.Prefer Newsweek on Googleto see more of our trusted coverage when you search.
Las Vegas Aces All-Star A'ja Wilson and Miami Heat All-Star Bam Adebayo officially have a chokehold on basketball's preeminent power couple.
Wilson, who has won three WNBA MVPs and three of the past four WNBA titles, tied the league's all-time single-game scoring record when she netted 53 points in August 2023. They already had two Olympic gold medals in common, but Adebayo again rose to her level during the Heat's 150-129 win over the Washington Wizards on Tuesday night.
The 28-year-old big man scored 83 points, which passed the late Los Angeles Lakers icon Kobe Bryant's famed 81-point game from January 2006. Adebayo's 83-point game is second only to Wilt Chamberlain's 100-point game in NBA history.
Read More on NBA
According to The Athletic's Mike Vorkunov, Adebayo's 43 free-throw attempts and 36 made free throws are the most ever. The five-time All-Defensive honoree also now has the only 30-plus free-throw attempt and 20-plus three-point attempt game. "Bam had 92 points total over his previous four games," Vorkunov wrote. "His PPG went up from 18.9 to 20.0."
Wilson and Adebayo's mother, Marilyn Blount, were courtside for Adebayo's historic night. Wilson joined Adebayo for his postgame presser, and Wilson became visibly emotional when discussing her partner's accomplishment. But she also had jokes for him on Threads later Tuesday night.
...
"Go ahead and pee in that cup my boi!" Wilson posted alongside a Chapelle Show gif. She also posted a screenshot of Miami's weather for Wednesday, highlighting that it's 83 degrees. Of course, Wilson's joke about urinating in a cup references the NBA's (and every professional league's) random drug testing program and how Adebayo likely triggered a look into whether he's taking performance enhancers.
Elsewhere, several of Adebayo's NBA peers reacted to Adebayo's scoring masterpiece, such as Jalen Brunson and Kevin Durant. Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo defended Adebayo against anyone downplaying it. Lakers perennial All-Star LeBron James celebrated Adebayo's scoring masterpiece, which also broke James' record for most points in a game in Heat franchise history. James had held the record with 61 points since March 2014.
The 37-26 Heat will next host the Bucks on Thursday night. After that, Adebayo might have the night off.
View 0 Comments
Submit Correction
View Editorial & AI Guidelines