2012 Summer Olympics: 5 Names You'd Better Know Heading into Games

The 2012 Summer Olympic Games are literally right around the corner. London has been in preparation for months, and it is time we got you up to snuff as well. 

Every time the Games roll around, whether it's winter or summer, Beijing or Los Angeles, big names will emerge and our hearts will be won over by a select few competitors. The magic of the Olympic Games lies in its mystery and intrigue. The amateur birth of the Games is where we take solace in a world ruled by advertisements and sponsorship deals. The Olympics is our place to fall for these athletes before the money storm arrives. 

It is always good to stay on top of things, so here are five names to keep an eye and an ear out for this summer. Come August, these athletes will be warming your hearts. So get to know them now, before they start filling your stomachs with $5 foot-longs. 

Russell Westbrook: Basketball

Though he is not an unknown by any stretch of the imagination, Russell Westbrook is a name to watch out for this Summer. NBA fans know the 6'3" point guard very well, but common Olympic fans will get their first exposure to Westbrook's unique athleticism this summer. 

Westbrook was an NBA rookie during the last summer games. However, he has international experience playing on the United States FIBA World Championship-winning team in 2010. 

Westbrook is a breathtaking sight to witness in the open court on a fast break. He couples that with strong three-point shooting and an image and swagger that can bore into your mind. With Derrick Rose suffering an ACL injury in the NBA Playoffs, he will be left off the Olympic team, increasing Westbrook's role as an electric combo-guard.

This summer, the guns at the Olympic shooting events won't be the only ones being holstered. 

Claressa Shields: Boxing

Every four years, Americans seek out a strong, young female athlete at the games to rally around. Past Olympic Games are gilded with names like Shawn Johnson, Tara Lipinski and Amanda Beard. 

Let me introduce you to your next favorite athlete of the 2012 Olympic Games: Claressa Shields. Shields has so much going for her this summer it's ridiculous.

First off, this will be the first time Women's Boxing will be a competition at the Olympics. Not only is Shields a favorite to earn a medal, she is a wonderfully charismatic 17-year-old. On top of this, she grew up in Flint, Michigan, a place the public is very empathetic with.

Shields can back up her story as well. She was named the Outstanding Boxer at the first-ever Olympic Trials for the sport in February. She also defeated three-time World Champion Mary Spencer from Canada in the middleweight class at the Elite Continental Championships. Shields and her story are just waiting to become mainstream news. 

Missy Franklin: Swimming

Should Claressa Shields not catch on due to the violence of her sport, there happens to be a suitable replacement as America's next strong, young female athlete. That competitor is Missy Franklin.

The soon-to-be 17-year-old out of Pasadena, CA has begun making a name for herself by earning five medals at the World Aquatics Championships last July. This young lady is truly remarkable. Still a high school junior, she is working towards both a diploma and a spot in London 2012. 

Franklin holds one world record in the 200-meter backstroke and was named FINA Swimmer of the Year in 2011. She is so primed to be a breakout star this summer that USA Today is following her attempts to land a spot on the United States Olympic Team and a date to her junior prom. 

Tyler Clary: Swimming

You may remember a couple names from the 2008 Olympic Games. Do Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte ring any bells? They have a combined 22 Olympic Medals between them, so you can realize just how meaningful my next statement is.

One year after the Beijing Olympics, Tyler Clary beat records held by each of those two swimmers in the 400-yard individual medley and 200-yard backstroke, respectively. 

Clary has been nipping on Lochte's heels in particular since 2009. He finished just behind the 27-year-old in three World Aquatics Championship events in 2010, earning three silver medals. In 2011, Clary once again won a silver and bronze behind Lochte.

At just 23, Clary is scratching the surface of his potential. There will probably never be another Michael Phelps, but Tyler Clary will be making his own waves this summer at the Olympics. 

Spc. Justin Lester: Wrestling

A little bit older than the rest of the athletes on this list, Justin Lester, 28, will also be making his Olympic debut in London. Lester is a specialist with the United States Army.

A two-time bronze medalist at the World Championships, Lester missed out on the 2008 Olympics courtesy of an upset in the trials by an 18-year-old upstart. Many did believe he was a gold medal favorite that year.

Four years later, Lester has joined the army and gotten back on the mat. In a story for Cleveland.com, the Akron, OH native described his joy at another shot at Olympic glory. However, he also made note that he would be there for one reason only: "I've got to bring back a gold medal," said Lester.

This is sort of untapped territory in terms of popularity. I have rarely heard much publicity surrounding our soldiers competing in the Olympics, though it seems like a fairly common occurrence, especially in the shooting competitions. Perhaps the story of Lester, especially if he succeeds in a higher-profile sport, will catch on and they can get the respect and notoriety they so richly deserve.