I think Bam Adebayo ranked as the 102nd-most likely active player to score 83 points in an NBA game originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
There are over 100 players statistically more likely than Bam Adebayo to score 83 points... sort of. I'll explain why shortly and list all of them.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementIn a performance absolutely nobody saw coming, Bam Adebayo scored 83 points, the second-most in NBA history. Count me as someone not locked in to Heat-Wizards on a random Tuesday in March until my group chat lit up with a slightly more colorful version of "oh my, Bam has 62 at the end of the 3rd quarter!"
Adebayo, who entered Tuesday averaging 18.9 points and 4.8 free throws per game, passed Bryant on the single-game list thanks mostly to a yawn-inducing 36-43 display from the charity stripe. Not a typo. 36 made free throws. 43 free throw attempts. Both setting all-time single-game records.
MORE:Comparing Bam's 83 to Kobe's 81 | Inside Bam Adebayo's insane box score
In no particular order, here were the thoughts dancing in my head:
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement"Is this a good thing? How does it change how we view Kobe's 81?"
"43 free throws? Gross."
"If it happens against the Wizards, does it even count?"
"If you asked me to pick players most likely to match or surpass Kobe, how many would I name before getting to Bam Adebayo?"
It's this last one that I think is most interesting. Off the top of my head, I would probably land around 60-ish.
Then I started digging and before long realized its much lower.
To be fair, I forgot Adebayo even had a 40-point game. When looking up his previous career high, I had no recollection of his 41-point game against the KD-Kyrie-Harden Nets in 2021.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementFor a variety of reasons (the boon of offensive talent, rule changes, increased pace, heavier premium on 3s, etc.) it's perhaps never been easier to score than right now. And so naturally, I wondered how many active players have scored at least 42.
Now if I were to actually draft players I think are more likely than Bam to score 80, I wouldn't just limit it to players with superior career highs. The league is flush with young scorers who have never touched 40, players like Kon Knueppel, Brandon Miller, Shaedon Sharpe and Dylan Harper, among many others, who on the right night with the perfect set of circumstances — injured teammates, weary opponent, low stakes — you could imagine having an out-of-body scorched Earth experience.
Another day, perhaps I'll sit down and actually think through who all I would pick before Adebayo. But for now, I instead offer up something a little more concrete.
Courtesy of Stathead, the 101 active players who have scored at least 42 points in an NBA game, one more than Adebayo's previous career high. By this rudimentary measure, yet one based in reality of what has actually happened on an NBA floor, Adebayo was the 102nd-most likely active player to pull off that historic scoring feat.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThat's my story and I'm sticking to it, for now.
Rk
Player
From
To
Count
James Harden
2012-13
2025-26
77
LeBron James
2004-05
2024-25
68
Stephen Curry
2009-10
2025-26
57
Kevin Durant
2007-08
2024-25
53
Luka Dončić
2019-20
2025-26
44
Giannis Antetokounmpo
2017-18
2024-25
43
Russell Westbrook
2010-11
2020-21
39
Damian Lillard
2014-15
2024-25
37
Joel Embiid
2017-18
2023-24
32
Devin Booker
2016-17
2024-25
31
Anthony Davis
2014-15
2024-25
29
Donovan Mitchell
2018-19
2025-26
29
Kyrie Irving
2013-14
2024-25
26
Trae Young
2018-19
2024-25
25
Nikola Jokić
2018-19
2025-26
22
Bradley Beal
2016-17
2023-24
21
Anthony Edwards
2020-21
2025-26
21
Jayson Tatum
2020-21
2024-25
19
Jalen Brunson
2022-23
2025-26
19
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
2020-21
2025-26
19
Paul George
2013-14
2022-23
17
DeMar DeRozan
2014-15
2024-25
15
Zach LaVine
2018-19
2025-26
15
Jamal Murray
2018-19
2025-26
13
Tyrese Maxey
2022-23
2025-26
12
Klay Thompson
2014-15
2022-23
11
CJ McCollum
2016-17
2025-26
10
De'Aaron Fox
2020-21
2024-25
10
Ja Morant
2020-21
2024-25
9
Jimmy Butler
2015-16
2022-23
9
Karl-Anthony Towns
2016-17
2024-25
9
Kawhi Leonard
2016-17
2025-26
9
Kevin Love
2010-11
2013-14
8
Jaylen Brown
2020-21
2025-26
8
Julius Randle
2018-19
2022-23
8
Mikal Bridges
2022-23
2023-24
6
Cam Thomas
2022-23
2024-25
6
Khris Middleton
2017-18
2023-24
4
Pascal Siakam
2018-19
2022-23
4
Paolo Banchero
2023-24
2024-25
4
Jordan Poole
2022-23
2024-25
4
Cade Cunningham
2023-24
2025-26
4
Lauri Markkanen
2022-23
2025-26
4
Caris LeVert
2019-20
2021-22
3
D'Angelo Russell
2018-19
2023-24
3
Terry Rozier
2020-21
2023-24
3
Gary Trent Jr.
2020-21
2021-22
3
Nikola Vučević
2020-21
2022-23
3
Jalen Green
2022-23
2024-25
3
P.J. Washington
2020-21
2023-24
3
Jerami Grant
2020-21
2023-24
3
Tyrese Haliburton
2022-23
2023-24
3
Jaren Jackson Jr.
2019-20
2024-25
3
Victor Wembanyama
2024-25
2024-25
3
Austin Reaves
2024-25
2025-26
3
Andrew Wiggins
2016-17
2024-25
2
Victor Oladipo
2015-16
2017-18
2
Brandon Ingram
2019-20
2022-23
2
Norman Powell
2020-21
2022-23
2
Fred VanVleet
2020-21
2023-24
2
RJ Barrett
2021-22
2022-23
2
Saddiq Bey
2021-22
2025-26
2
Jordan Clarkson
2018-19
2021-22
2
Darius Garland
2022-23
2022-23
2
Anfernee Simons
2021-22
2022-23
2
Desmond Bane
2023-24
2024-25
2
LaMelo Ball
2024-25
2024-25
2
Miles Bridges
2023-24
2024-25
2
Quentin Grimes
2024-25
2024-25
2
Payton Pritchard
2024-25
2025-26
2
Cooper Flagg
2025-26
2025-26
2
Trey Murphy III
2025-26
2025-26
2
Jeff Green
2012-13
2012-13
1
Kyle Lowry
2015-16
2015-16
1
Eric Gordon
2019-20
2019-20
1
Buddy Hield
2019-20
2019-20
1
Luguentz Dort
2020-21
2020-21
1
Tim Hardaway Jr.
2020-21
2020-21
1
Kevin Porter Jr.
2020-21
2020-21
1
Collin Sexton
2020-21
2020-21
1
Ben Simmons
2020-21
2020-21
1
Josh Hart
2021-22
2021-22
1
Domantas Sabonis
2021-22
2021-22
1
Obi Toppin
2021-22
2021-22
1
Jrue Holiday
2022-23
2022-23
1
Malik Monk
2022-23
2022-23
1
Kristaps Porziņģis
2022-23
2022-23
1
Zion Williamson
2022-23
2022-23
1
Deni Avdija
2023-24
2023-24
1
Malachi Flynn
2023-24
2023-24
1
GG Jackson II
2023-24
2023-24
1
Dejounte Murray
2023-24
2023-24
1
Keegan Murray
2023-24
2023-24
1
Alperen Şengün
2023-24
2023-24
1
Pat Connaughton
2024-25
2024-25
1
Coby White
2024-25
2024-25
1
Grayson Allen
2025-26
2025-26
1
Keyonte George
2025-26
2025-26
1
Aaron Gordon
2025-26
2025-26
1
Jalen Johnson
2025-26
2025-26
1
Brice Sensabaugh
2025-26
2025-26
1
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