In the news|July 27, 2012 03:34 EDT By Christine Thomasos

2012 Olympics: 10 Christian Athletes to Watch

1. Kevin Durant - Basketball

Kevin Durant may have missed out on his first NBA Championship after making it to the NBA Finals this year, but the Christian NBA forward has earned his position on Team USA. The 23-year-old Oklahoma City Thunder managed to lead the NBA in scoring this past season, making it his third time accomplishing the feat.

While his on-court abilities are impressive, it is Durant's humility off of the court that have kept people talking. Despite the fact that he is playing alongside the likes of future Hall-of-Famers Kobe Bryant and Lebron James, Durant is not ready to admit that he is just as good as his fellow Team USA comrades.

"(I'm) nowhere near those guys," Durant said of the comparisons in a Los Angeles Times report. "I'm just trying to work to get there."

While Durant may not be ready to admit his greatness just yet, he has admitted that he is on a mission to become a better Christian.

"I just want to grow spiritually with the Lord. I'm keeping strong at it, just trying to make my walk with faith a little better," Durant told the press last season. "That's making me a better person, opening my eyes to things and I'm also maturing as a person. I'm just trying to grow."

Twitter: @KDTrey5

2. Charlie Houchin - Swimming

Charlie Houchin may not have the same national notoriety as his Olympic teammate Michael Phelps, but the 24-year-old Olympic swimmer has a relationship with Jesus Christ that is sure to take him beyond the 4x200 freestyle relay in London.

Houchin's appearance in the 2012 Olympic games will make it his first, after he qualified for the team by finishing sixth in the 200-meter freestyle at the 2012 United States Olympic Trials. The North Carolina native credits his accomplishment to having a relationship with Jesus Christ.

"I like to think I carry a quiet confidence into the water because of my relationship with Christ. In athletics, where emotions can run high, low and everywhere in between and performance is everything, I think understanding your relationship with Christ keeps everything on an even keel and gives perspective about what's important," he said in an Athletes in Action report. "Swimming is everything in a lot of ways, but it pales in comparison to things like a relationship with Christ and doing what is important in terms of eternal life."

Twitter: @Charlie Houchin