2012 Summer Olympics: Top American Teams to Watch at Summer Games

Christian Petersen/Getty Images

Americans have always been a force at the Summer Olympic Games.

Many great teams have graced the games during their 100 years of competition, and this year has been no different.

The 1992 dream team is the benchmark for historical relevance and lets not forget the 1996 women's gymnastics squad.

Individual medals are satisfying, but nothing beats the thrill of winning with a team.

These are the top American teams to participate in the 30th Olympiad.

Women's Gymnastics

Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

They were dubbed the "Fab Five," and the U.S. women's gymnastics team sure lived up to the hype.

A gold medal in the team final secured their place in Olympic history, as the Americans defeated Romania and Russia to give the U.S. their first team win since 1996.

The girls won gold in dominating fashion, and bested silver medalist Russia by an astonishing five points.

Once the Americans began their night on the vault competition, the outcome of the team final was never in doubt.

The team still has a chance for more medals in the individual events, and the team has the pedigree to add some more hardware to its cupboard.

Gabby Douglas and Aly Raisman will compete in the all-around competition on Thursday evening, and the Americans also boast the best vaulter in the world in McKayla Maroney.

Men's Basketball

Handout/Getty Images

Kobe Bryant caused quite a stir when he said that his team in London could defeat the famed 1992 Dream Team.

The scary part? Kobe is probably right.

Never before has a team of rare athletes like this been put together on a basketball court.

LeBron James is possibly the best athlete to ever play basketball. His unique blend of size and speed is a rarity, and makes him an absolute handful for these international players that may have never seen James play in person.

New mega-star Kevin Durant is on the team as well, and his scoring ability is insane.

It remains to be seen if this team could indeed beat the 1992 squad, but a gold medal in the 2012 Olympic Games is a high probability.

Men's and Women's Swimming

Adam Pretty/Getty Images

Despite the emergence of new stars like Yannick Agnel and Ye Shiwen, no other country in the world boasts the same amount of quality and quantity as the men and women of the American swim team.

The list of prominent U.S. swimmers participating in these Olympic is long and distinguished.

Starting with the most decorated Olympian ever, Michael Phelps.

Phelps has won 19 total medals, and his battles with fellow American Ryan Lochte have been legendary.

Lochte is a stud in his own right, and looks to star in 2016 games.

On the women's side, there is 17-year-old phenom Missy Franklin. Franklin has won two medals so far, including an impressive gold in the 100-meter backstroke, and she is probably the hottest American star heading into the next summer games.

If there was more space, one could list the accomplishments of the other standout swimmers like Rebecca Soni, Allison Schmidt and Matt Grevers.

This alone is a testament to how good the American swimmers have been.

Misty May-Treanor and Kerry Walsh-Jennings

Ryan Pierse/Getty Images

It wasn't even a forgone conclusion that Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh-Jennings would compete in these games.

Now they are trying to defend their title and win gold for the third consecutive time.

Walsh-Jennings and May-Treanor both have a competitiveness that oozes out of both of them. They are going to need every ounce of that competitiveness in order to bring home a gold in London.

The duo is still very formidable, but age and the fact that they haven't had as much time to prepare might hinder them against the world's best. 

They remain a medal favorite, and two of the most heralded Americans ever.