When Kobe Bryant stepped into the NBA in 1996, Shaquille O’Neal was already a seasoned four-year veteran, fresh off his move from the Orlando Magic to the Los Angeles Lakers. Now, LA then, was a team full of veterans. But anyone who thought handling a 17-year-old rookie would be simple was in for a rude awakening. Kobe was different. Fearless around seasoned stars; unwilling to back down. And never the kind to turn away from a challenge.

Now, following Bam Adebayo‘s 83-point madness against the Washington Wizards recently, the Mamba returned to conversation. This time two decades ago, Kobe grilled the Toronto Raptors with his 81-point heroics. However, his glorious night didn’t surprise Shaq.

“I watched it, and I’m probably the only one that wasn’t surprised,” the Lakers legend admitted on The Big Podcast with Shaq. “A lot of people don’t know this. I used to torture Kobe, but it wasn’t really torture. It was always a test. So I used to tell Kobe, ‘I need 40.’ He got 40, and he would do it.”

He added, “So watching him get to 80, I’m not surprised cuz he was the guy that once he puts his mind to it, he’ll fight anybody, including me, to get it done. So I was watching the game. I wasn’t like all the other fans going.” O’Neal further added, “I was like, ‘This motherf—- is going for 100.’ Like, I wouldn’t even think about all the points. I’m like, once he has 70, me knowing Kobe since he was 18 years old, like he’s going for that Wilt record. So I watched it, and it was different.”

To be honest, basketball lived in the shadow of Wilt Chamberlain’s mythical 100 for decades, a relic from 1962 preserved through a photo and a scribbled number. Then came Kobe Bryant with 81, and everything shifted. By the time Kobe created history, Shaquille O’Neal had left the Lakers.

Playing for the Miami Heat, he witnessed Bryant’s night unfold. However, it didn’t shock him as he mentioned in his conversation. Simply because he knew that his former teammate’s Mamba Mentality was boosting him through.

Moreover, in the 2005-06 season, Bryant scored 40+ points in 27 games.  Just three months before January 22, Kobe had posted 62 points against the Dallas Mavericks. But little did the league know that he would unravel that way. On January 22, 2006, inside Staples Center, one team felt every second of it. The Toronto Raptors watched history turn against them. Shot after shot, Kobe owned the night. Right player, perfect stage, unforgettable chaos.

It was memorable indeed, but nothing shocking for Shaquille O’Neal. He had known the Mamba for almost two decades then. He knew what the 27-year-old boy from Calabasas could do. They already had a three-peat to their names. However, Kobe’s January 22, 2006, is something that no one will ever forget amidst Bam Adebayo’s 83-point history.

Two eras and two 80+ points nights

Bam Adebayo dropped 83 on March 10, 2026, while Kobe Bryant authored 81 on January 22, 2006, both logging 42 minutes in wins. Adebayo shot 20-43 at 46.5%, 7 to 22 from three at 31.8%, and a staggering 36-43 free throws at 83.7%, adding 9 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks in a 150-129 result. Meanwhile, Bryant carved 28-46 at 60.9%, 7 to 13 from deep at 53.8%, and 18-20 at 90%, with 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals, and 1 block in a 122-104 win. However, context flips the lens.

Bryant battled a slower era with a 92-95 pace, fewer threes, and physical defense, erupting for 55 second-half points after a 14-point deficit against Chris Bosh and the Toronto Raptors. Meanwhile, Adebayo thrived in a 100-plus pace era with spacing and 30-plus threes, exploding early with 31 in the first and 62 by the third against the Washington Wizards.

Therefore, pace adjusted, eras shifted, and the NBA style metamorphosed. Therefore, for many, Bryant’s brilliance still hits harder. But that doesn’t put down Bam Adebayo. He is indeed the second-highest scorer of all time, putting Bryant third on the list.

So, for now, we know what went on in Shaquille O’Neal’s mind when he saw his former teammate torch the Raptors 20 years ago, with an iconic 81-point night. Meanwhile, the voices around the league continue with the comparison between Bryant and Adebayo’s historic scoring feat. And well, once again, everything comes down to a matter of perspectives.