Angels' Shohei Ohtani Compared to NBA Legend Michael Jordan by MLB Exec

Once-in-a-generation athletes are rare for a reason. But regardless of the sport, there is always one common trait that every one of them has: an insatiable drive to get better at their craft.

Los Angeles Angels superstar Shohei Ohtani is no different.

Already considered one of the greatest players ever to grace the diamond, the adjectives to describe his talent are insufficient and the comparisons are inaccurate.

One American League executive told The Athletic's Jayson Stark that the closest comp he could give for Ohtani is perhaps the greatest athlete in the history of team sports, NBA legend Michael Jordan.

"He's just such a unique player," that exec said. "It feels like he's going to be one of those guys that every year, he just does something a little different to see if it will make him better.

"It's like when Michael Jordan in the offseason decided one year, 'I'm going to get better at shooting threes.' And then the next year, he's like, 'I need to get bigger and stronger, so I can be a dominant post player.' That's what I think of. Basically, we're watching Michael Jordan, adding something to his game every year. That's the only comparison I can make."

While Ohtani hasn't had the same team success as Jordan—who won six championships with the Chicago Bulls in the 1990s—most of that is on the Angels for not taking advantage of having two of MLB's best talents in Ohtani and Mike Trout.

Ohtani, 28, has more than lived up to his billing as one the most hyped players to ever come out of Japan. After a few seasons were derailed due to injuries, he's dominated MLB in a way that has never been seen before.

The 2021 AL MVP has been a menace at the plate and on the mound over the last few seasons and only seems to be getting better. During his MVP campaign, he had 46 homers and a 3.18 ERA.

Last season, he came second in the MVP vote and fourth in the AL Cy Young vote after finishing the year with a career-best 2.33 ERA to go along with 34 homers.

He's only gotten better in 2023, and the stats are mind-boggling.

Ohtani is currently ranked second in the AL in strikeouts (96) and is tied for second in homers (15). He's also second in total bases but has allowed the fourth-fewest total bases as a pitcher.

And much like Jordan, the greatness never ceases to amaze anyone.

Now, as he looks to become the most coveted free agent in MLB history, likely earning himself a deal worth over $500 million, championship success may be the next thing on the way if he joins a contender.

At that point, there's no telling what else he may be able to accomplish.