Former Laker Juan Toscano-Anderson Weighs in on GOAT Debate

Toscano-Anderson believes LeBron James is the greatest basketball player of all time.

Published on Feb. 11, 2026

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Former NBA player Juan Toscano-Anderson, who spent the 2022-23 season with the Los Angeles Lakers, recently shared his thoughts on the debate over who is the greatest basketball player of all time. Toscano-Anderson, who was born in 1993, said he believes LeBron James is the GOAT, citing James' ability to compete at the highest level and push the dominant Golden State Warriors dynasty to the brink.

Why it matters

The GOAT debate is a longstanding and passionate discussion among basketball fans, and Toscano-Anderson's perspective as a former NBA player who faced off against LeBron James and the Warriors provides an interesting insider's view on the matter.

The details

Toscano-Anderson, an Oakland, California native, went undrafted in 2015 before playing internationally and in the NBA G-League. He caught on with the Golden State Warriors in 2020, spending two seasons with his hometown team and winning a title in 2022 before signing a free agent deal with the Lakers that offseason. In a recent podcast appearance, Toscano-Anderson said he believes James is the only player in league history who can do everything on the court and play all five positions. He said watching LeBron push the Warriors dynasty to the brink changed his opinion on who the GOAT is, despite being a lifelong Warriors fan.

  • Toscano-Anderson played for the Lakers during the 2022-23 season.
  • Toscano-Anderson appeared on the Basketball Network podcast last week to share his thoughts on the GOAT debate.

The players

Juan Toscano-Anderson

A former NBA player who spent the 2022-23 season with the Los Angeles Lakers and is now playing professionally in Italy.

LeBron James

A legendary NBA player who Toscano-Anderson believes is the greatest basketball player of all time.

Golden State Warriors

The dominant NBA dynasty that Toscano-Anderson faced off against during his time with the Warriors, which he says helped shape his opinion on LeBron James as the GOAT.

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What they’re saying

“I think LeBron James, in my personal opinion, is the greatest basketball player of all time. I didn't watch Michael Jordan play. I was born in 1993. So, I didn't really watch Michael Jordan at all.”

— Juan Toscano-Anderson, Former NBA Player (Basketball Network Podcast)

“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.”

— Juan Toscano-Anderson, Former NBA Player (Basketball Network Podcast)

The takeaway

Toscano-Anderson's perspective as a former NBA player who faced off against LeBron James and the Warriors dynasty provides an interesting insider's view on the longstanding GOAT debate. His belief that James is the greatest player ever, despite being a lifelong Warriors fan, underscores James' unparalleled impact and ability to compete at the highest level against even the most dominant teams.