Bam Adebayo’s 83-point outing recalls remarkable individual game achievements.

Bam Adebayo achieved a remarkable milestone on Tuesday night.

The Miami Heat center scored 83 points against the Washington Wizards, surpassing Kobe Bryant’s 81-point game to secure the second spot on the all-time list for points in a single game. Adebayo’s extraordinary performance captivated the sports community, earning accolades from A’ja Wilson (his girlfriend), LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and others.

Despite Adebayo’s historic outing, he fell 17 points short of Wilt Chamberlain’s legendary 100-point game in a 1962 matchup between the then-Philadelphia Warriors and New York Knicks. Chamberlain outscored his Warriors teammates by 31 points in the 169-147 victory, while also securing 25 rebounds.

Adebayo’s phenomenal game evoked memories of other remarkable single-game performances, including Chamberlain’s. Below are some of the most notable displays from American professional sports.

MLB

Shohei Ohtani, 2024: 6-for-6, three HRs, two SBs, 10 RBIs

Ohtani is currently the most prominent star in MLB for good reason. In 2024 against the Miami Marlins, Ohtani delivered a spectacular performance for the Los Angeles Dodgers, hitting three home runs, driving in 10 runs, and stealing two bases in a perfect 6-for-6 outing. His achievement made him the first player in MLB history to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases in a single season.

Tom Cheney, 1962: 21 strikeouts, 16 IP, 228 pitches, 1 ER

While Max Scherzer, Kerry Wood, and Roger Clemens have each struck out 20 batters in nine-inning games, Cheney’s feat in a 1962 game against the Baltimore Orioles may be even more impressive. The Washington Senators pitcher threw the equivalent of nearly two complete games, allowing only one run in 16 innings and striking out an MLB-record 21 batters. Remarkably, Cheney recorded only 345 strikeouts throughout his eight-season career, meaning that 6% of his total strikeouts occurred in this one record-breaking performance.

NBA

Wilt Chamberlain, 1962: 100 points, 25 rebounds

No footage of this game exists, and Hershey Sports Arena in Hershey, Pennsylvania was only about half full. This aspect adds to its legendary status. Chamberlain had 69 points after three quarters, and in the fourth quarter—similar to Adebayo and the Heat—his teammates continuously passed him the ball until he reached 100 points. Until Kobe Bryant’s 81-point game in 2006, no NBA player had come within 20 points of Chamberlain’s record.

WNBA

Liz Cambage, 2018: 53 points, 10 rebounds, five blocks

Cambage and A’ja Wilson (who was present to support Adebayo during his 83-point game) share the record for points in a single game with 53. Cambage narrowly surpassed Wilson’s 2023 performance (53 points, seven rebounds, four blocks) with her showing for the Dallas Wings against the New York Liberty in 2018.

NFL

Norm Van Brocklin, 1951: 554 passing yards, five passing touchdowns, one rushing touchdown

In the opening game of the 1951 season, Norm Van Brocklin delivered an outstanding performance. The Los Angeles Rams quarterback amassed an impressive 554 passing yards and accounted for six total touchdowns, including two to running back Elroy “Crazylegs” Hirsch. Van Brocklin’s 554 yards has remained a single-game record for 75 years.

Flipper Anderson, 1989: 336 receiving yards, one touchdown

Every time Flipper Anderson received the ball in a 1989 game between his Rams and the New Orleans Saints, something remarkable occurred. Anderson contributed 336 of quarterback Jim Everett’s 454 passing yards in a 20-17 victory, with 40 of those yards coming in overtime.

Adrian Peterson, 2007: 296 rushing yards, three TDs

Achieving a thousand rushing yards is a commendable season for any running back. Peterson amassed nearly 30% of that total in a single game. In the Minnesota Vikings’ 35-17 win over the then-San Diego Chargers, Peterson represented 55% of his team’s total yardage solely on the ground—along with a single 19-yard reception that brought his total to 315 yards.

NHL

Darryl Sittler, 1976: 10 points

Although he did not break the single-game record for most goals (seven, by Joe Malone in 1920) or assists (also seven, by Billy Taylor Sr. in 1947 and Wayne Gretzky in 1980, 1985, and 1986), Sittler’s six-goal, four-assist performance for the Toronto Maple Leafs against the Boston Bruins remains the record for the most points in a single game.

ESPN Research contributed to this story.