Miami Heat star Bam Adebayo shattered the 21st-century record for most points scored in an NBA game after recording 83 against the Washington Wizards on Tuesday. Adebayo passed Kobe Bryant on the list to do so. He also ranked second behind the legendary Wilt Chamberlain for most points scored in an NBA game. Chamberlain scored 100, a record that remains unmatched.
Here’s a look at the top five players with the most points in an NBA game ever.
Top 5 Players With Most Points in an NBA Game Ft. Bam Adebayo’s 83 Points
#T-5 Wilt Chamberlain
Wilt Chamberlain scored 73 points twice in his NBA career. The first instance was on Jan. 13, 1962, for the Philadelphia Warriors. The other was on Nov. 16 for the San Francisco Warriors.
#T-5 David Thompson
David Thompson matched Wilt Chamberlain’s third-highest scoring game on Apr. 9, 1978, for the Denver Nuggets.
#T-5 Luka Doncic
Luka Doncic matched Wilt Chamberlain and David Thompson’s 73-point game on Jan. 26, 2024, for the Dallas Mavericks. Before Bam Adebayo’s 83-point night, Doncic held the record for the second-most points in the 21st century.
#4 Wilt Chamberlain
Wilt Chamberlain recorded 78 points for his second-highest scoring game on Dec. 8, 1962, for the Philadelphia Warriors.
#3 Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bryant finished with 81 points on Jan. 22, 2006, for the Los Angeles Lakers against the Toronto Raptors.
#2 Bam Adebayo
Bam Adebayo climbed to second in the NBA’s record for most points scored in a game with 83 on Mar. 10, 2026, for the Miami Heat.
#1 Wilt Chamberlain
Wilt Chamberlain remains atop the list with 100 points, which he scored for the Philadelphia Warriors on Mar. 2.
