Norman Powell reveals what it was like to witness Bam Adebayo's 83-point game up close

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Bam Adebayo had a legendary night back on March 10, 2026, for the Miami Heat. He scored a franchise record of 83 points, which is the second-highest single-game total by a player, behind Wilt Chamberlain's 100 points.

Since Powell did not play against the Washington Wizards on that day, he was only watching from the bench and in the locker room while receiving treatment. With Powell, Tyler Herro, and Andrew Wiggins sidelined during that game, Adebayo had to step up.

Norman Powell recalls what it was like seeing Bam Adebayo's 83 points

Adebayo made sure to step up during that game because he was aggressive from the jump. He scored 31 points in the first quarter and followed that up with 12 in the second.

He then further strengthened his performance by scoring 40 points in the second half. It was one of the most surreal days in recent NBA history because it came from an unlikely player. Of course, Adebayo is certainly a star, but he is not seen as the elite scorer like Chamberlain or Kobe Bryant.

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As a teammate who only got to watch the game, Powell was amazed by what was happening. He knows that Adebayo was a fantastic player, but he was still having the game of his life during that fateful March day.

"It was crazy. After that first quarter when he had 30, I was in the back finishing up treatment. Tyler and Niko were back there, we were talking like 'He got 30 in the first quarter? That means he gotta end up like 60.' He came out flamethrowing those threes," Powell said on the Numbers on the Board podcast.

"It was just crazy to be a part of it and witness it. I’ve been part of a lot of history but just to see that live in person was insane."

Now, that day will live on in NBA history. Some players will probably want that kind of special day, but only one other player has scored more points in a game than Adebayo. It will certainly be a tough achievement to eclipse for the foreseeable future.