LeBron James Says Stephen Curry Is Basketball’s Version of Shohei Ohtani

Los Angeles sports fans have grown accustomed to watching elite talent on display, with the city hosting global icons such as LeBron James of the Lakers and Shohei Ohtani of the Dodgers. While James is now in the later stages of his legendary NBA career, Ohtani remains at the peak of his powers, fresh off a second World Series title and his fourth MVP award.

When discussing Ohtani’s brilliance on the latest episode of the Mind the Game podcast, James drew a notable comparison — lining up the baseball superstar with Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry, highlighting that both are nearly impossible to contain because of how many different forms their production can take.

James explained that Ohtani is unique not just because he excels, but because he does so in multiple roles at once, the same way Curry forces defenses into constant disadvantage.

LeBron shared a conversation from a group chat:

“Imagine getting one message saying a pitcher struck out 10 guys in a playoff game — that alone is impressive. Then imagine getting another message saying a different player hit three home runs in the same game. Now imagine being told it was the same guy. That’s Ohtani.”

He continued by connecting the idea back to Curry:

“What makes Steph one of the most dangerous players ever is that he can beat you so many different ways. Transition threes, pick-and-rolls, off-ball movement — he’s comfortable in every situation and doesn’t lose his impact when he gives the ball up.”

The take adds to a growing appreciation around professional sports for Ohtani’s place among rare, generational athletes.

Lakers legend Magic Johnson has previously compared Ohtani to Kobe Bryant, an acknowledgment of the mindset and drive the Japanese superstar shows on a nightly basis.

Lakers thriving even before LeBron’s return

The comparison came during a stretch in which the Lakers are performing strongly on the court. Los Angeles opened the season 10–4 even before James made his return, and the four-time NBA champion noted that he was not worried about fitting back in — something that showed as soon as he helped power the team to a win in his season debut.

With LeBron healthy again and the roster settling into form, the Lakers appear poised to build on their early success.