What makes the NBA Greatest of All Time (G.O.A.T.) debate such an interesting topic of conversation is that anyone who considers themselves a basketball fan will likely have an opinion.
We've heard comedians give their take, we've heard rappers give their two cents , but it's almost always a lot more interesting when the NBA players themselves share their thoughts on who really should be considered the NBA's GOAT.
That's why, when Basketball Network got to chat with NBA Champion Juan Toscano-Anderson , the GOAT question had to be laid out.
A five-year NBA veteran who won a title in 2022 with the Golden State Warriors and also had stints with the Los Angeles Lakers and the Utah Jazz , "JTA" weighed in on the never-ending debate between LeBron James and Michael Jordan.
"I think LeBron James, in my personal opinion, is the greatest basketball player of all time," Toscano-Anderson said in an exclusive interview. "Again, I didn't watch Michael Jordan play. I was born in '93, I wasn't introduced to basketball until about '99, and that's when kinda started to watch, but I didn't really watch Michael Jordan at all, so for all the people who may read this or hear this, forgive me, but from a basketball standpoint, LeBron James, in his prime, didn't have a hole in his game."
Toscano-Anderson had the chance to play with James with the Lakers, and he believes that "The King" could do basically anything on the basketball court, which is why he has the utmost respect for a guy who is still dominating in his 23rd year in the Association.
"He can dribble, he can shoot, he can dominate on the rebounds, he can get you 12 assists, he can go get you 40 points, he can play in transition, he can post-up, midrange, three points, he can get to the line, he can get to the rim, play above the rim, there's nothing that LeBron James couldn't do," Toscano-Anderson explained.
Apart from being a complete basketball player, Toscano-Anderson also noted that James pushed the Golden State Warriors dynasty to the limit whenever they met in the NBA Finals.
James' incredible streak of eight consecutive NBA Finals appearances from 2011 to 2018 was well documented, and in four of those eight appearances, James and the Cleveland Cavaliers faced the dynastic Warriors, even coming back from a 3-1 deficit in 2016 to win a title.
"Just watching him, again, I've been a Warriors fan my whole entire life, so watching him compete against that dynasty, people say that that was the best team of all time. He took that team to the wire pretty much by himself," Toscano-Anderson said.
"Yes, he had Kyrie [Irving], and Kevin Love, but they got injured here and there, but consistently, he took those teams to the wire…just from that standpoint, I think he's the best to ever play the game," he added.
While Toscano-Anderson believes that LeBron is the greatest of all time, his personal GOAT is another former teammate and Warriors icon, Stephen Curry .
Toscano-Anderson played in Golden State for three seasons and got to see Curry's excellence first-hand. And as amazing as Curry has been, JTA believes that James still belongs on a different level.
"My personal GOAT is Steph Curry, but just because one: I've grown up a Warriors fan. Steph Curry is more realistic to me. He's somebody who developed into a star. LeBron James is an anomaly," Toscano-Anderson emphasized.
Toscano-Anderson also made sure to give Curry his flowers and explain why the Bay Area icon was his personal GOAT. But when it comes to the overall ranking, Toscano-Anderson still gave the King his crown. And nobody can blame him for that argument.
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Feb 10, 2026, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
