"Michael was relentless on the defensive end... LeBron had his hands on the ball a lot" - Colin Cowherd asserts Luka Doncic might not reach LeBron James and Michael Jordan's level if he doesn't improve his defense

Although the Dallas Mavericks are staring at an almost insurmountable 0-3 hole against the Golden State Warriors, Luka Doncic still has people believing everything is not lost. The Slovenian superstar has been nearly unstoppable on offense as he leads the postseason yet again in scoring with 32.1 points per game.

As great as the “Luka Magic” has been in the playoffs, his defense, or lack thereof, is an issue that will continue to hound him. Colin Cowherd, on his podcast, is worried that his disinterest in defense could keep him from reaching the greatness of Michael Jordan and LeBron James.

Here’s how the veteran sports analyst elaborated on his thoughts concerning Luka Doncic’s play on the unglamorous part of basketball:

“Michael [Jordan] was relentless on the defensive end. He had the ball in his hands a lot but he was relentless. LeBron had his hands on the ball a lot but he elevated other people and in his prime was a good defender. If you’re just a great scorer you’re Melo, Harden, Westbrook. Those guys don’t play on the defensive end, those guys lack self-awareness.”

Luka Doncic is only 23-years-old, but his potential is so great that people are willingly comparing him to the GOAT candidates already. Most basketball fans are bothered by the thought that he may not attain what he’s capable of if he continues to fail on defense.

Michael Jordan had an unfair reputation early on as merely a scorer who played defense only when he felt like doing it. The criticism about Jordan’s defense was unfounded as was already one of the league leaders in steals in his first three years in the NBA.

MJ’s defensive prowess was such an underrated part of his game despite averaging 2.6 assists and 1.2 blocks in his first three seasons with the Chicago Bulls. In his fourth season, he finally led the NBA in steals and won the Defensive Player of the Year award.

LeBron James wasn’t nearly as dominant as Michael Jordan on defense, but he was certainly one of the best. “King James” averaged 1.8 steals and .7 blocks in his first three years in the NBA. The LA Lakers superstar continued to work on that side of his game that many felt he was robbed of the Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2013. He eventually became a member of the NBA’s All-Defensive team six times.

Based on what these iconic superstars achieved early in their careers on defense, Luka Doncic has plenty of catching up to do.

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Luka Doncic’s lack of athleticism and physical gifts should not be completely detrimental to him to play defense

Luka Doncic has to have the will and motivation to be better on defense to achieve LeBron James-like greatness. [Photo: Bleacher Report]

Luka Doncic's lack of athleticism is the most obvious thing that jumps out of his play. His mind-numbing performances on offense is even more impressive because he doesn’t need prodigious physical tools to score.

Doncic, however, has been targeted by rival teams' defense due to his innate lack of physical gifts to be a top-tier defender. For Colin Cowherd, the Dallas Mavericks superstar does not have to be as athletically gifted as Michael Jordan and LeBron James:

“With Luka, there are some habits here, you gotta come into a season in shape, you’ve got to put an effort on the defensive end. Steph Curry is not a great defender, but he’s feisty. Larry Bird wasn't a great defender but he was competitive, he was trying. Luka is just not really involved on that side of the floor and Golden State is working him and seeking him.”

The Herd anchor was on the money with his observation of Luka Doncic’s shape and conditioning, especially when the season started. He also has to have the mindset of a Michael Jordan or LeBron James to be at least average on defense.

In numerous instances, the young All-Star even looks labored in getting back on defense. “Luka Legend’s” ceiling is nearly unlimited, but his work is already cut out for him. He would have to work on his defense to even dream of reaching the heights Michael Jordan and LeBron James have achieved in their respective careers.