Olympic Basketball 2012: Ranking Nations with Legit Shot to Dethrone Team USA

Team USA is widely regarded as the favorite to win the gold medal in men's basketball at the 2012 Summer Olympic Games in London, but teams like Spain and Argentina will give them a run for their money and could steal their thunder.

Despite fielding the most talented roster, Team USA has one flaw that could prove to be fatal: They only have one true center and only three total big men. If any of them get into foul trouble against one of the other major forces in international basketball, all the talent on the outside Team USA features could be rendered useless. 

With that in mind, here are the teams with the best shot to take the proverbial crown away from Team USA at the 2012 Games in London.

5. Lithuania

Lithuania is a rough-and-tumble team that is currently ranked No. 5 in the FIBA world rankings.

They feature five big men who will rotate in and out of the lineup depending on the circumstances and pace of the game, but all five can play with anyone. Among the five, three have played or are currently playing in the NBA. 

Darius Songaila is someone Sacramento Kings fans will remember from the almost-glory days of the early 2000s. He is a tough rebounder who can step back and hit the mid-range jumper with consistency.

Linas Kleiza and Paulius Jankūnas are a couple of combo forwards who can play outside or inside, depending on what's required of them. Both players are capable of scoring and rebounding with almost anyone, and they'll primarily be used to keep the next two monsters fresh.

The biggest problems for Team USA will be matching up with Jonas Valančiūnas and Robertas Javtokas, a couple of seven-footers who are tough to handle in the paint. 

Valančiūnas is a 20-year-old terror who will be playing for the Toronto Raptors next season. He's a terrific defender and rebounder who moves his feet well for a man his size, and he's just starting to develop a post game—much like Team USA's Anthony Davis. 

The biggest difference between Valančiūnas and Davis is that Davis is skinny as a rail, whereas Valančiūnas is a solid 240 pounds of muscle. 

Javtokas is even bigger at 270 pounds, and he specializes in rebounding and blocking shots.

This team also features some talented guards who are adept at getting their big men the ball down low.

They are ranked No. 5 in the world for good reason, and they have a slight chance to take the gold medal in London this year.

4. France

Any time you field a team with Tony Parker and Boris Diaw, you have a chance to succeed. 

France—ranked No. 12 in the FIBA world rankings—has a slightly better chance to knock off Team USA than Lithuania, primarily because of Parker's insane ability to get into the lane to either put up a sweet layup or to pass the ball outside to an open shooter. 

Diaw isn't the kind of banger inside who's going to give Team USA's bigs any problems. He's more of a skill player, but France does have a couple of bigger guys they're sending to London this summer that could give them some issues inside the paint, with Parker dishing.

One of them will be familiar to many NBA fans.

Ronny Turiaf is a tough competitor down low, even if he's not the most skilled around the basket. He is shifty and persistent around the basket, and his ability to keep plays alive with offensive rebounds can cause head coaches to go crazy.

Ali Traore and Kevin Seraphin may not be familiar to you, but they are difficult to contain down low and will be key cogs in France's 2012 Olympic team.

France isn't likely to be able to contain Team USA's potent offensive attack, led by LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Deron Williams and Kevin Durant. But if those guys have an off shooting night, they are beatable given France's depth and talent down low.

3. Brazil

Brazil doesn't get enough credit for fielding a superb overall team. They are only ranked No. 13 in the FIBA world rankings, but they are going to finish out the 2012 Olympic Games much better than that.

One of the biggest reasons Brazil is such a threat to Team USA is because they feature a relentless pick-and-roll offensive attack, led by point guard Marcelo Huertas and facilitated by their stable of centers and power forwards. 

Brazil features a four-man rotation up front, and all four men are athletic, big and strong. They move well with and without the ball, and if they manage to get any of Team USA's big men into foul trouble early on in a game, they could go on a major run.

Brazil features Nene of the Washington Wizards, Anderson Varejao of the Cleveland Cavaliers and Tiago Splitter of the San Antonio Spurs. They also feature Guilherme Giovannoni—a versatile forward who gives them five more fouls to use against Team USA.

It was only two years ago that Brazil pushed Team USA to the brink at the World Championships in Turkey, losing by only two points, 68-70. 

They will make a strong push for a medal in London this summer, and if everything goes right for them and wrong for Team USA, they could take gold.

2. Argentina

Argentina is a dangerous team. 

They feature a handful of successful NBA stars, including Manu Ginobili, Carlos Delfino, Luis Scola and former NBA player Andrés Nocioni.

They are ranked No. 3 in the FIBA world rankings right behind Spain and America, and for good reason: They play some of the best team basketball you're ever going to see.

In addition to Scola, Argentina features a couple of other big men who don't get as much recognition, but who will after these upcoming Olympics—Martín Darío Leiva and Juan Pedro Gutiérrez.

These two, in addition to Scola and the two other power forwards on Argentina's roster (Leonardo Gutiérrez and Federico Kammerichs) will give the U.S. big men as much or more than they can handle down low.

Argentina has beaten Team USA in the past, though it's been a while, and they are one of the biggest threats to America's dominance in Olympic men's basketball in 2012.

1. Spain

Spain is the biggest threat to America's supremacy in the sport of Olympic men's basketball. 

The roster they are throwing out there this year is loaded with NBA-caliber talent, and as much as I'm a diehard Team USA fan, I won't be surprised in the least if Spain wins gold this summer over Team USA.

Juan Carlos Navarro is their best pure scorer. He can create his own shot against just about anyone in the world. 

Rudy Fernández is another skilled scorer, and his athleticism shouldn't be overlooked. Remember, he was the Spaniard who dunked over Dwight Howard in Beijing in the 2008 Summer Games (watch it here, courtesy of YouTube).

Don't forget about the sensational point guard, José Manuel Calderón. He's one of the best pure point guards in the NBA, and he is a dangerous man in open space.

Finally, Spain features the most impressive frontcourt lineup in this upcoming tournament.

Marc and Pau Gasol are both highly skilled big men around the basket, but they can also step back and hit mid-range jumpers all day long. They aren't the most athletic men on the face of the earth, but they know how to get the most out of what God gave them.

Serge Ibaka is a name you probably recognize from the NBA Finals. He is the team's second-string center, but he's better-suited to the international game than any of the big men for Team USA. 

Spain has the lineup to give Team USA big problems in London this summer. What remains to be seen is how they hold up to the pressure of both their own expectations and the incredible defense Team USA is capable of applying.

Stay tuned to Bleacher Report for all your Olympics news, opinion and analysis. We're only weeks away from the biggest spectacle in all of sports, and it's going to be a blast.

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