The Miami Heat’s Bam Adebayo has taken Kobe Bryant’s spot for having the second-highest scoring NBA game by picking up 83 points on Tuesday against the Washington Wizards. So he is one of the best scorers of all time, right? Well, not even close.

In fact, this was not even one of the most impressive individual scoring achievements in recent years. Since 2023, five players have been added to the 70-point club, with the most notable ones being Luka Dončić with 73, accompanied by Damian Lillard and Donovan Mitchell, who both scored 71 with fewer foul shots.

Beyond his 36 points from free throws, Adebayo scored 47 points on Tuesday, which is impressive but not uncommon in today’s NBA. 

It also touches on a problem the NBA has been facing for years. Fouls have been excessive in recent seasons, and it’s only getting worse. Adebayo shot 43 throughout the game, which is a new record for the most free-throw attempts in a game by a single player.

He shot as many foul shots as he did field goals, and it definitely takes away from his accomplishment.

Bryant scored 81 with just 18 points coming from foul shots. The common excuse would be that Adebayo is a center, so Bryant would be a much better shooter. However, they both had seven three-point makes.

Even Wilt Chamberlain had only 28 free throw makes as a center in his league-record 100-point game.

The biggest hint that Adebayo’s performance was a fluke comes from his season scoring averages. He’s sitting at 20 points per game, and he more than doubled his previous career-high.

Although Adebayo did have an impressive game and he is a solid player, he is in his ninth season, and it is doubtful that this is the start of a legendary run.