Ethical/unethical hoops jokes aside, his free throw attempts post-83 are at a whopping 8.5 per game, which nearly doubles what it was before that game (4.8).

If he shot free throws at that rate for the entire season, he’d be 4th in the league behind only Luka (10.1 FTA), SGA (9.3 FTA), and Deni Avdija (9.3 FTA). All 3 of those are All Stars and 2 of them are averaging over 30 points per game.

Defenses are definitely treating him more like a scorer now, and they’re sending him to the charity stripe at a similar rate that Jimmy used to go there.

He’s right, sure a bunch of haters online are talking shit now but in 25+ years it’s still his name over there

Then again who knows how that top 3 would be looking anyway

I agree with bam. He will be remembered in history for scoring 83.

I said the same thing about saquon barkley and his chance to break the single season rushing record. That was his only chance to break it, a record held for 40 years. Thats what Eric Dickerson is known for. You go down in history. Barkley sat and won a superbowl that year which obviously is great, but id rather have a all time great record for your legacy

Other than Bam does anyone view Bam differently post “83”?

Give me the DPOY

25 players have won DPOY. Only one has outscored Bam. One will stand the test of time longer.

all time achievement etc etc but bam you went back to 18 points a game aint nobody looking at your game different lmao

The average NBA fan can’t tell you who the dpoy was in 2006 but they sure as shit remember Kobes 80 piece the same year. Second greatest scoring performance stands the test of time.

Why would he trade it for DPOY? People love to throw Defense around now a days but still do not hold past DPOY in respect. Rudy Gobert for example, arguably the most disrespected player in the modern era is a former 4 time DPOY and where has that taken him in NBA discourse?

DPOY is not properly valued at all.

“Babe would you trade me for that hotter girl over there”

“What haha of course not”

Alright he’s trolling 😂

I also wouldn’t give away a once in a lifetime honor for something that’s given out every year. Especially if I’m Bam since he’s a contender for it every May.

Kobe stans look at Bam with disgust… Worth it!

One is an award that rewards excellent play throughout a season. The other rewards amazing play in three quarters of a game and then a bunch of stat padding in the fourth quarter.

Legitimately thought that the reporter had a chud filter on himself, apparently im brain rotten

As an extremely casual fan I can tell you anyone outside of following the NBA doesn’t give a fuck who the DPOY is, but when they hear 83 points in an NBA game they’ll remember that. All you need to know, really.

Ron Howard: “It in fact did not.”

Nope

Is that Indian Dan LeBatard?

They pick a DPOY every year anyway. Gobert has 4 in his career and people still talk about him like he’s trash. Literally one other person in the entire history of the NBA has scored more in a game than Bam.

Bam has complained about not winning DPOY for five years, it’s his white whale, he knows the 83 points will be more of a source of mockery than reverence in history, especially when he gets passed up now that the “can’t pass Kobe’s 81” seal has been broken, which could happen next season

Feel like for athletes, proving detractors wrong hits harder. Bam winning DPOY doesn’t change our perception of him much, we know him as an elite defender without it. That 83 changes things though, especially since our biggest criticism of him is that he’s not aggressive enough offensively.

how are people not seeing the troll im dead, are people just not perceptive anymore

Did it? He had to make every shot and free throw he made to get that so kudos but that was one hot night to most people

Well for one thing his window on dpoy is probably closed

We can hate on how he got it and the refs and the wizards and spo but I can’t hate bam himself. Dude saw a chance to make history and fucking did it.

Wilt, bam, kobe…it’s just the funniest list of all time. It doesn’t even feel real.

I’m glad it happened just for the novelty alone

Its funny cos the Heat will probably have to retire his jersey just cos of that 83pt game lol

It shifted our mindset alright, just not in the way you think. Bum

It didn’t change how ppl think of his play. No one thinks he’s a scorer. Blown out by the pacers and you only score 15 points on like ⁵⁄₁₆ shooting lol. Literally all his peers disrespected the record.

Literally no one looks at him differently. If anything it negatively affected his legacy. They’ll mention his 83 points behind accomplishments like the guy that pitched a baseball game in acid. It’s a novelty.

Fouling up 30 against the worst team in NBA history.

Let’s get the BAM goat conversations going. Jordan never scored 83. Lebron never scored 83. Case closed. BAM is the goat.

No still mid

Don’t blame him a lot of ppl have won DPOY. Only 1 guy has scored more in a game than him. He’s in history books

Its because he aint getting a dpoy anytime soon

Nobody is guarding him differently lmao

He dropped ³⁰⁄₂₀ like a week after 83. Late bloomer in finding his offensive chops, still a defensive beast, and kinda inefficient at the moment(but idk how much of that is him being the only one healthy and locked unto by defenses) he has had some growth on offense. This offseason his whole focus should be playing while being doubled and refining ways to get to his spots. Hope he works out with one of the great offensive sg/sf and centers this offseason.

Is the interviewer Graham LeBatard?

Just retire then Bam lol

Bros tripping.

I haven’t seen a difference in how teams cover Bam lmao idk why he’s trying to push that narrative.

would he trade it for a ring tho?

43 free throws lmao

The heat are 2-8 in their last ten games. Bam is shooting 39% from the field and 25% from three in his last ten on 21.7 ppg. They’ve fallen to the ten seed from the five. But keep celebrating 83

If people didn’t rightfully love Bam, he would be getting so much shit for how often he talks about this, a lot of the time bringing it up himself. I don’t think it’s a stretch to say Bam has talked about himself scoring 83 more than Kobe talked about himself scoring 81 for over a decade.

No, it didn’t.

Why is he still talking about this

Bam is an idiot.  He proves it every time he talks. 

The more I think about it the more it looks like this was a calculated attempt to help save MIAs season. This is evidence that it definitely had the right effect

Because of the free throws, not impressed.

Lord.

Is that Dan Lebatard’s love child?

Game plan was to get him foul shots. It was a travesty. The guy is a tier 2 nba player.

Wilt Bam Kobe

In.That.Order.

I mean 83 playing crash dummy hoops…

Oh god he thinks he’s a scorer now.

Insert meme of three dragons.

The infamous fraudulent 83

Yeah we all hate you now

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Did his 83 point game move him up anyone’s all time rankings? Just curious what everyone here thinks. It’s cool for the history books but honestly I don’t think this changes anything about his legacy or where he ends up in the all time rankings. In 20 years I’ll think of it the same way I think of Karl Malone being the second highest scoring player in nba history; not much.

Having to basically constantly remind people that he made 83 points just let’s me know how little anyone cares and how much he knows people dont care much

He’s basically one of those people who will constantly be all like “yeah I did make 83 points in the nba before” in like 40 year Not saying 83 points is bad or not impressive 

It’s just clear to me that alot of people clearly dont respect it. It sorts feels like hes begging for more people to acknowledge it

Awful.

I love this response. We all know Bam can play defense, 83 is forever.

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GOAT

No, it didn’t shift anything. You played a team that essentially let you score as much as you wanted for one game.

10 years from now when we think about the historic performances over the years, I can promise you Bam’s random ass 83 point game will not come to mind.