NEW YORK, NY — The NBA announced Wednesday that Bam Adebayo’s historic 83-point performance will officially remain in the record books, though league statisticians confirmed it will include a small explanatory asterisk reading simply: ‘Against the Wizards.’
League officials said the clarification was added “to provide historical context for future generations who might otherwise assume some level of resistance occurred.”
“Eighty-three points is an incredible achievement,” said NBA historian Mark Feldman while carefully attaching the footnote to the league’s official archives. “But when reviewing the game film, we determined viewers 50 years from now might be confused about how such a number was possible without the defense being explained.”
The footnote will appear alongside Adebayo’s scoring line in all official league materials, media guides, and Hall of Fame exhibits.
According to the league’s official description, the asterisk will clarify that the performance occurred under what the NBA calls “Wizards Conditions,” a statistical environment in which opposing scorers may experience unusual levels of freedom, encouragement, and wide-open mid-range jumpers.
Several players around the league expressed disappointment they had not previously benefited from the same circumstances.
“I mean, good for Bam,” said Warriors star Jimmy Butler. “But if I’d known you could just run layup lines for four quarters, I would’ve tried for 90.”
NBA statisticians also confirmed that the Wizards’ defensive presence during the game technically qualifies as “observational,” a classification normally reserved for preseason scrimmages and All-Star weekend exhibitions.
Sources inside the league office said they briefly debated applying similar asterisks retroactively to other records. Ultimately, however, they concluded that the modern Wizards represent “a uniquely permissive scoring environment not previously documented in professional basketball.”
Meanwhile, Adebayo remained humble about the performance, crediting the Wizards for their role.
“They really created space for me tonight,” Adebayo said after the game. “A lot of space. Like… an incredible amount of space.”
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