MIAMI (AP) — A’ja Wilson wouldn’t take her seat Tuesday night. The four-time WNBA MVP and star of the Las Vegas Aces got to the arena that the Miami Heat call home, saw that longtime boyfriend Bam Adebayo was off to a sizzling start and worried that she was going to disrupt the karma of the evening.
Eventually, she did settle in along the baseline.
She wound up seeing history.
Adebayo isn’t the most decorated player in his own home — Wilson has that title by a wide margin — but at least now he has the highest-scoring game to brag about. He scored 83 points, the second-most in NBA history, in Miami’s 150-129 win over the Washington Wizards.
“I was hiding a little bit,” Wilson said. “I don’t know. I just got nervous.”
No need. Adebayo was in the midst of the game of his life, and nothing slowed him down.
Wilt Chamberlain has the NBA single-game record of 100 points, and Adebayo now has the most among active players in his league. Wilson’s career high is 53, which is the most among active players in the WNBA and is tied for the all-time league mark.
A power couple, indeed.
“I’m thankful to have her in my life,” Adebayo said.
He got himself out of trouble on Tuesday as well. Wilson has been out of town for a few days, and wasn’t there on Sunday night when Adebayo scored 24 points — giving him 10,001 for his career. Wilson wanted to be there for the milestone. Adebayo got it without her in the building.
That didn’t go over well.
“She wanted me to wait,” Adebayo said. “To have 83, the first game she’s here, is very special. The behind-the scenes, the workouts, the conversations, they’re very motivating and you get inspired every day by that.”
So, as if scoring 83 points wasn’t enough — in a game where he set NBA records with 36 free throws made and 43 free throws attempted — Adebayo got one more bonus Tuesday night. He’s out of the doghouse that came with scoring 10,000 with Wilson not there.
“He’s forgiven,” she said.
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