BAM's 83 | Running It Back to Kobe, Wilt, and The Ethics of Going for the Record

BAM's 83 | Running It Back to Kobe, Wilt, and The Ethics of Going for the Record

From Running It Back by Palmer Media

March 17, 2026 · 29 min

About this episode

The episode discusses Bam Adebayo's historic 83-point game and its implications in the context of NBA history and culture.

Bam Adebayo: 83 Points, No Apologies Did that actually just happen? In an era of load management, Bam Adebayo just sent a shockwave through the league by dropping 83 points on the Washington Wizards. Join Mike Palmer and Tarlin Ray for an emergency session of Running It Back as they break down one of the most surreal scoring outbursts in NBA history. We examine whether this was a pure display of physical dominance or a manufactured "barnstorming" moment against a G-League-heavy roster. In this episode, we dive into the "A'ja Wilson Effect" and whether Bam went supernova specifically to show off for the WNBA GOAT in the stands. We also analyze the "purity" of the scoring output by comparing it to Kobe’s 81-point game and Wilt Chamberlain’s legendary 100 in a chocolate-scented gym. We discuss the reality of the Wizards' tanking efforts and how a lack of starters allowed Bam to rack up a record-breaking 43 free throw attempts. Finally, we look at what this says about Heat Culture, as Coach Erik Spoelstra and the rest of the roster rallied to help Bam plant his flag on the mountain. Whether you think it was a masterpiece or rec league stat-padding, you can't deny the greatness. Bam…

People in this episode

Hosts: Mike Palmer, Tarlin Ray

Topics covered

  • Bam Adebayo
  • NBA scoring records
  • Kobe Bryant
  • Wilt Chamberlain
  • Heat Culture
  • load management
  • WNBA

Keywords

  • Bam Adebayo
  • 83 points
  • NBA history
  • Kobe Bryant
  • Wilt Chamberlain
  • Washington Wizards
  • Heat Culture
  • free throws
  • A'ja Wilson Effect
  • load management

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: WNBA, Washington Wizards, Heat Culture, Coach Erik Spoelstra

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