What is the highest points ever scored in a basketball game?

NBA: Wilt Chamberlain's 100

Chamberlain set the NBA single-game scoring record by putting up 100 points for the Philadelphia Warriors in a 169–147 win over the New York Knicks, played at Hershey Sports Arena in Hershey, Pennsylvania. It is widely considered one of the greatest records in basketball history. That season, Chamberlain averaged a single-season record 50.4 points per game.

At halftime, Chamberlain already had 41 points. He scored in double figures every quarter but shined brightest in the fourth, when he put up 23 points.

Second place, now held by Bam Adebayo

That record has stood untouched for over 60 years, but second place changed hands relatively recently. Bam Adebayo became the first player to score over 80 points in a game since Kobe Bryant in 2006, dropping 83 against the Washington Wizards. Bryant had come the closest to Chamberlain's record before that, erupting for 81 points in the Los Angeles Lakers' 122–104 comeback win over the Toronto Raptors.

Highest-scoring team game

If you're curious about the highest-scoring game by teams rather than by an individual: the Detroit Pistons set the single-game team scoring record with 186 points in a triple-overtime game against the Denver Nuggets, defeating them 186–184. That contest is also the highest-scoring game in NBA history, with 370 combined points.

High school: Danny Heater's 135

Go outside the pros and the number climbs even higher. Danny Heater holds the highest single-game scoring performance by one player in high school basketball history worldwide, with 135 points. By halftime he had already scored 50 points, and he capped off his second half with 55 points in the final 10 minutes alone. The record is certified by the National Federation of State High School Associations and is the highest total ever on a high school or professional level in the United States.

So the answer depends on the level: 100 at the professional peak, 135 if you count all organized basketball.