LeBron James Compares Stephen Curry to MLB Superstar

On Part 2 of his interview with Stephen Curry on the Mind the Game podcast, LeBron James compared Curry to Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani.

James said that if one player had 10 strikeouts in a game or three home runs in a game, it would be a huge achievement. But it's almost incomprehensible that one player could do both in the same game, as Ohtani did in Game 4 of the NLCS.

Then he brought it back to Curry.

"What makes Steph one of the most dangerous players of all time is you're going to get it in so many different ways," James said (2:31 mark). "I'ma come down in semi transition. If your pickup point is too low, bang. If I come off a high screen pick-and-roll and your big is not up to touch, bang. If you cover me well, I'ma get off the ball, and I don't care getting off the ball.

"A lot of guys will give in to getting off the ball because they feel uncomfortable with now moving," James said.

"And losing control," podcast host Steve Nash added.

James continued: "And losing control. I want to make every play, or not even like I want to make every play. I feel like our team is most comfortable with me making the decisions.

"Steph, I'm getting off the ball, and it's gonna find me because the energy I'm gonna drag out for our team and for the fear of the opponent. It makes him the greatest shooter of all time and one of the greatest threats in NBA history."

Curry has long been lauded for his constant off-ball movement, which as James said, makes him unique among today's superstars.

On Part 1 of the podcast, Curry said he modeled his off-ball game from Reggie Miller and his on-ball game from Nash.

That has made him the most versatile offensive threat in the sport's history.

Is It an Apt Comparison?

If pitching is the equivalent of playing defense in the NBA and hitting is the equivalent of playing offense, then perhaps the Ohtani of the NBA would be the sport's best two-way player.

Kawhi Leonard has often been given that label, but injuries have slowed down his defensive work rate. Giannis Antetokounmpo has won a Defensive Player of the Year award and two MVPs, so he'd be in the conversation for the Ohtani of the NBA.

With no All-Defensive team selections, Curry would not be in that conversation.

So some will say the Curry-Ohtani comparison isn't quite right, but the sentiment that Curry is the ultimate threat on offense makes sense.