Candace Parker Encourages Change in Age-Old Kobe Bryant Tradition After Bam Adebayo’s Feat

WNBA legend Candace Parker heaped praise on Bam Adebayo after his incredible 83-point performance.

Candace Parker Encourages Change in Age-Old Kobe Bryant Tradition After Bam Adebayo’s Feat

Candace Parker on Bam Adebayo's record (Image credits - Firstsportz)

In Short
  • Bam Adebayo scored a career-high 83 points, breaking multiple Miami Heat records.
  • Candace Parker suggested changing the iconic "Kobe" phrase to "Bam" after Adebayo's achievement.
  • Nick Young criticized Adebayo for surpassing Kobe Bryant's record, questioning the legitimacy of the performance.

Bam Adebayo put in a performance for the ages against the Washington Wizards on Tuesday night. When the Miami Heat took on the Wizards at the Kaseya Center, little did anyone know that history was going to be made.

Known for his defensive abilities. Bam Adebayo was picked as the 14th overall pick by the Heat in the 2017 NBA draft. He has made it to two NBA Finals, selected as an All-Star three times, and was selected in the NBA All-Defensive First team in 2024.

Currently in his ninth season in the NBA, Adebayo has breached the 20 points per game average just once in his career and has had a career-high of 41 points. Without Tyler Herro in the lineup, it was on Adebayo to take up the scoring burden. 

The Heat center stunned the NBA world and recorded a career-high 83 points to go along with nine rebounds. He scored 31 points in the opening quarter, breaking the Heat record for points in any quarter. He finished the half with 43 points, a team record for any half.

While it was a historic achievement, Lakers fans and others were left unimpressed by Adebayo’s performance. However, former WNBA legend and champion Candace Parker had a new reference for the Heat star on NBA on Prime.

Maybe when you shoot in the trash can, maybe now you can say BAM!

Candace Parker said on NBA on Prime

The iconic phrase “Kobe” while shooting trash in the bin has become a cultural phenomenon amongst basketball fans. It is a tribute to Kobe Bryant‘s tribute and greatness as a clutch scorer.

Fans react to Candace Parker’s new phrase after Bam Adebayo’s achievement

Bam Adebayo broke several club records against the Wizards, but the biggest of them all was surpassing the great Kobe Bryant‘s record of 81 points to become the second-highest scorer in a game in NBA history. Bryant set the modern-era record against the Toronto Raptors in 2006.

Following Parker’s encouragement to change the phrase from “Kobe” to Bam”, NBA fans did not waste any time in reacting to her comments.

Majority of the fans did not seem to side with Parker’s statements as the phrase did not become a phenomenon after Bryant’s 81-point game. It was a tribute to who he was as a player. Adebayo has a long way to go before becoming a cultural phenomenon.

Nick Young slams Bam Adebayo for breaking Kobe Bryant’s 81-point record

If NBA fans had to guess one player to surpass Kobe Bryant‘s single-game points record of 81 points, no one would have named Bam Adebayo. While Adebayo made a career-high seven threes on Tuesday, he shot a record 36 out of 43 free throws, which would have definitely rubbed several fans and the NBA community the wrong way.

Bam Adebayo
Bam Adebayo (Image credits – Miami Heat/X)

Bryant’s former teammate, Nick Young, was critical of the Miami Heat center for breaking Bryant’s 81-point record.

All that records supposed to be broken? Hell no. Did you see that? The Wizards. Playing no defense. He nice, but he’s not 83 nice. Like, come on, man. Kobe probably rolling over in his grave right now. You see how he was going for that 74? Get out the game, you’re winning by 30. If I had 81, I would have stopped. I’m not trying to get fouled with one minute left. One minute left, up 30. They are triple-teaming him, and he still gets the ball.

Nick Young said on Gil’s Arena

The 36 free throws made by Adebayo were also an NBA record, breaking the previous mark of 28 held by Wilt Chamberlain and Adrian Dantley. Since Kobe Bryant’s 81-point game in 2006, only five players have breached the 70-point mark, but none of them have gotten to 80.

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