Shohei Ohtani Joining Dodgers Comparable To LeBron James Going To Miami Heat?

Former Los Angeles Angels All-Star Shohei Ohtani signed a 10-year, $700 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

NBA Twitter ran wild with its basketball comparisons, with some saying this is like LeBron James signing with the Miami Heat in 2010. James was coming off consecutive MVP seasons but underwhelming postseason runs led him to join forces with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami. This formed the Big Three that went to four straight Finals, clinching two championships in 2012 and 2013.

Prime LeBron to the Heat
— 🥷🏽 (@MaGoated) December 9, 2023

Like James, Ohtani is one of the best players in the league but was on an Angels team with the seventh-worst record in the MLB last season. He was twice named the AL MVP, becoming the first player in MLB history to unanimously win the award twice. Ohtani is joining a Dodgers team boasting All-Stars Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman.

LeBron to the Heat but if you somehow took out the heartbreak of an entire fanbase https://t.co/bxIj1SpQSu
— Matt (@BelowAverageOPS) December 9, 2023

Ohtani's deal is the largest in North American sports history. To put things into perspective, his contract is worth more than the entire Heat payroll for the next four years. The Heat will spend just over $510 million by 2027, which is nearly $200 million less than the amount Ohtani is anticipated to earn.

The Dodgers are now among the favorites to win the World Series with this trade.

Jayden Armant is a contributor to Inside the Heat. He is a student at Howard University. He can be reached at or follow him on Twitter @jaydenarmant.

Follow all of our Miami Heat coverage on Facebook here.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel here.