Who brings a win-at-all-costs mentality to the local pro sports teams?

Watching “The Last Dance,” one thing stood out the most about Michael Jordan.

It wasn’t his amazing abilities, although it was fun to re-live his greatness on both ends of the floor. It wasn’t his star status, even though it was interesting to be reminded that he was the basketball version of the Beatles. And it wasn’t his off-the-court dalliances, but the stories about gambling in Atlantic City, trying to play baseball and playing 36 holes with Danny Ainge during a playing series with the Celtics were fascinating.

Rather, the key takeaway was Jordan’s fanatical obsession with winning. Through all of the other things, that was always his No. 1 goal.

Most of the time, this consistent mission led to good things; nobody outworked MJ, as he has maniacal about practice and working out. But occasionally, it created problems, as he was ridiculously tough on teammates who couldn’t live up to his expectations.

The good certainly outweighed the bad. And the end, six championships in eight years, ultimately justified the means.

Jordan wasn’t alone in this approach. He might be the prime example, but other athletes and sports figures have put winning above everything else.

Vince Lombardi transformed the Packers from an NFL laughingstock in a frigid outpost into a dynasty. He’s credited with saying, “Winning is everything; it’s the only thing.”

Kobe Bryant won five titles during his career with the Lakers. He did it by pushing teammates in much the same way Jordan did.

And Tom Brady has won six Super Bowls. Among the many things that helped him accomplish the goal was repeatedly playing for less than market value in order to help the Patriots improve the roster around him.

Locally, there have been plenty of examples too.

John Elway is the biggest sports star in the history of Colorado. Nobody worked harder, played with more passion or sacrificed as much for his team in the pursuit of a title.

Patrick Roy is arguably the greatest athlete to ever play for a Colorado team. Few players in any sport have ever been more demanding of their teammates.

And Peyton Manning is probably the smartest athlete to ever call the Centennial State home. His preparation and attention to detail was second to none, something he demanded from everyone around him.

Not coincidentally, those three stars led their teams to five total championships during their years in Denver. Every victory parade through downtown has featured one of them.

They’re outliers, however. Most people, including athletes, aren’t wired that way.

There have been hundreds of examples through the years of people on the other side of the spectrum. Those who have put money, fame and other trappings of celebrity atop their list of priorities comprise a large group.

That’s why uber-talented players like David Thompson, Carmelo Anthony, Todd Helton, Clinton Portis and a host of others never won it all during their times in Colorado. None of them valued winning over everything else.

That’s not necessarily a bad thing. In fact, it’s probably a more well-adjusted approach to life.

But if the goal of a team is to win a title, as it always should be, then having an alpha who cares most about winning is essential. It’s almost impossible to hoist a trophy at the end of a season without that person on the roster.

Looking around the current pro sports landscape in Colorado, there is no shortage of talent. Every team boasts at least one of the best players in their respective game today.

But do any of these stars have the Jordan trait? Are any of them wired to value winning over everything else?

Von Miller has a Super Bowl MVP on his resume, but he hasn’t been a part of a playoff team since winning that award. In the past four years, when he’s replaced Manning as the face of the Broncos, Denver has slipped mightily.

While Miller has been competing on “Dancing with the Stars” and co-hosting at the Kentucky Derby, his team has posted three-straight losing seasons for the first time in four decades. As great of a player as Miller has been, he doesn’t seem to be one that inspires his teammates to reach new heights.

Nolan Arenado talks about winning being important. That’s what led to the much-talked-about riff between the third baseman and Jeff Bridich during this last offseason, as Arenado was upset that the Rockies general manager hadn’t done anything to improve the team.

That’s hard to argue, but it’s also ignoring the reality of the situation. Colorado is never going to spend money like the Yankees, Dodgers or Red Sox. So when Arenado signed an eight-year, $260-million contract, he had to know that he was choosing money over building a better roster around him.

Nikola Jokic is a truly unique talent. His playmaking ability from the center position has made the Nuggets one of the most-entertaining franchises in the NBA. It’s also made them one of the best teams in the Western Conference.

But is the big man wired to lead his team to a deep playoff run? Can he come up big in big moments? Can he carry and inspire his teammates?

Time will tell, but there are reasons for concern. Just this past season, Jokic reported to camp woefully out of shape. In a year where the Warriors were no longer a super team standing in the Nuggets way, creating a window of opportunity for Denver to advance through the West, their best player had to spend weeks playing his way into shape.

A true alpha shows up ready to seize the moment. A real leader would’ve had his team laser focused from the jump.

When it comes to the Avalanche, it’s probably too early to tell if Nathan MacKinnon is capable of leading his team to a Stanley Cup. He certainly has the talent, as he’s an MVP candidate.

A year ago, he helped Colorado reach the second round of the playoffs. And this season, he had them positioned to be a contender in the postseason.

The next couple of seasons will answer the question about his leadership. Can he make the Avs a legit Stanley Cup threat?

Every team has to have a rallying point. They have to have a player, or coach, who inspires them to reach their potential and perhaps even beyond.

Michael Jordan is the ultimate example of this trait. Everyone was reminded of it during the 10 episodes of “The Last Dance.”

The Avs, Broncos, Nuggets and Rockies don’t have anyone at MJ’s level. But do they have anyone that is wired the same way? Do they have anyone that values winning over everything else?

If not, they’ll never get over the hump. They can be entertaining. They can be fun. But they won’t be champions.

Follow @jamesmerilatt