Missy Franklin: Predicting Where She Will Rank Among Swimming's All-Time Greats

While Missy Franklin has become one of the biggest stars on Team USA in the 2012 Summer Olympics from London, she will not become the face of the sport over the next four years.

Franklin’s true rise to glory will happen in 2016.

Instead of trading in her gold-medal performance at the 2012 games and turning professional, Franklin has a good head on her shoulders and cares more about going to college than becoming a pro.

That old-school mentality will allow her to mature as a person and as a swimmer before going professional and dominating the next several Olympiads.

We can’t forget, Missy is just a 17-year-old high school senior.

As much as Team USA stars Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte have seemed to allow the hype surrounding them to build their egos, Franklin told NPR about how appreciative she is and how her hard work finally paid off:

"

I just saw that board and saw that number one, and after thinking about it and imagining it... happening for so long, it doesn't seem real. You've dreamed about it so often that you still feel like you're dreaming. I still feel like someone needs to pinch me. Just seeing that flag being raised—all the things that I've gone through passed through my mind. The early morning wakeups. The practices...All the meets. Just all the things leading up to that moment. And it was so incredibly worth it.

"

It is far too early to characterize Franklin as one of the greatest of all time, but this 2012 Olympics is definitely building the basis for a long career of swimming for gold medals.

Whenever Franklin decides to turn professional and cash in on the Olympics hype, there will be sponsors and coaches across the country willing to pay to get the young star in their camp.

With so much focus on her future, there is no doubt that Franklin will just continue to get better as each year passes.

While Phelps may have gotten lazy with his success, most believe Franklin’s confidence will keep her feet on the ground and her nose to the grindstone.

As much as the popular consensus is that this is not the smartest move for her career, the best evidence of her natural talent is the gold around her neck. If anything, her going to college instead of turning pro will only grow her cult following.

Check back for more on the 2012 Summer Olympics as it comes, and don’t miss Bleacher Report’s Olympics page to get your fill of the best athletes the world has to offer.

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