Boston Celtics icon Paul Pierce isn’t afraid to give his opinion, and he’s also known to constantly support his former team when he can. So it’s no surprise that when Pierce was debating the best American players in the NBA right now, he put Celtics star Jayson Tatum at the top of his list.

Pierce asserted on KG Certified, a Showtime Basketball program with fellow Celtic great Kevin Garnett, that Tatum had achieved a new level with his game this season.

“The best American in the league right now is Jayson Tatum,” Pierce said. “You see his development. You can see what he’s done in the last few years. I’m just looking around, and I believe he’s past Kevin Durant and LeBron [James]. Steph [Curry] is the sole dissenter.”

Tatum tried his best to prove Pierce wrong on Monday night, scoring 45 points in a close overtime loss to the Charlotte Hornets. Despite the defeat, Tatum joined the legendary Larry Bird as the only player in franchise history to record 45 points, 13 rebounds, six assists, and two blocks in a game.

Aside from Tatum, notable American-born players include Pierce. LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers is approaching his 39th birthday, but he is still averaging 26.4 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 6.5 assists a game. Kevin Durant of the Phoenix Suns is also on a roll, scoring 31.4 points per game, which is presently the second-highest figure in the NBA.

Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry, whom Pierce considers to be the finest American player, has also been on fire. Curry has scored at least 30 points in seven of his 13 games this season and has not been held to less than 23 points in any game.

Overall, while deciding who the best American-born player in the NBA is, you can’t go wrong. If Tatum is able to eventually lead the Celtics to a title this season, this back-and-forth may come to an end, and it won’t be difficult to claim Boston has the No. 1 player on this list.