Former NBA All-Star Gordon Hayward is not a big fan of Bam Adebayo’s record-setting night.
Hayward spoke candidly about Adebayo’s 83-point performance during a recent appearance on ESPN’s “Unsportsmanlike” radio show. The 14-year NBA veteran made his case for why the stellar scoring night from the Miami Heat center was not “great for the league.”
“No disrespect to Bam. I think Bam is one of the best two-way players in the league at his position. But he’s not a scorer, right? So for him to break Kobe’s record, I don’t think it’s great for the league,” Hayward said.
“I think it highlights how they’re already struggling with how it kind of feels like a pick-up game when you’re watching. For him to shoot 43 free throws and 22 threes when that’s not what he does … it kind of makes it feel not legit.”
Hayward echoed the sentiments of some fans and media members who pointed to the vastly different circumstances of Adebayo’s 83 compared to Bryant’s 81. The Los Angeles Lakers icon put up his total in a competitive game in which his team needed every point. The Heat, meanwhile, were intentionally fouling to give Adebayo more possessions against a clearly tanking Washington Wizards team.
But while Hayward’s gripes make some sense, it’s still tough to discount anyone scoring 83 points, no matter the context. There’s a reason only three players have surpassed the 80-point mark in NBA history.
