The Admiral turns 50: The top 5 moments of David Robinson's career

Happy birthday, Admiral.

Legendary NBA center David Robinson turns 50 today, as good a time as any to look back at the best moments from one of the most storied modern NBA careers.

While Robinson may be best remembered by a younger generation of fans for his late-career torch-passing to Tim Duncan - made possible by Robinson missing almost the entire 1996-97 season with a back injury and later a broken foot - he was a seven-time All-Star before the San Antonio Spurs landed his twin tower counterpart.

Here's a look back at the top five moments of Robinson's illustrious career.

1992 - Robinson wins gold as member of the Dream Team

The 1992 Olympics in Barcelona are likely the most famous in basketball's Olympic history. For the first time ever, nations were allowed to employ current NBA players on their team, putting an incredibly tight focus on the tournament and putting immense pressure on the Americans to win gold.

And win gold they did, emphatically. The U.S. famously steam-rolled the competition, winning each qualifying round game by at least 38 points and each Olympic game by at least 32. In eight Olympic games, four of which he started, Robinson averaged nine points and 4.1 rebounds while shooting 57.4 percent from the floor.

Robinson would double back for the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, winning another gold medal. He also won a bronze medal as a collegiate athlete at the 1988 Seoul games, and a gold at the 1986 World Championships in Spain.

1995 - Robinson named MVP

His first NBA championship was still years away, but Robinson came out of the Olympics having established himself as one of the game's marquee big men.

That fact was recognized in 1995, when Robinson was named the league's MVP after leading the Spurs to a 62-20 record. Robinson averaged 27.6 points, 10.8 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1.7 steals, and 3.3 blocks, all while shooting 53 percent from the floor, leading the NBA in free throws made, and even going 6-of-20 from outside.

The Spurs would lose in six games to the Houston Rockets in the Western Conference Finals, with the Rockets going on to win their second consecutive championship.

1999 - Spurs win 1st title in franchise history

Robinson lost most of his 1996-97 season due to injuries, and the Spurs bottomed out with a 20-62 record, including a 17-47 mark after head coach Gregg Popovich took over.

The rest is history, as the Spurs landed the No. 1 pick, selected Wake Forest big man Tim Duncan and, two years later, hoisted the first championship in franchise history.

While Duncan had become the team's best offensive weapon, the 33-year-old Robinson averaged 15.8 points, 10 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.4 steals, and 2.4 blocks during the regular season. He averaged 16.6 points, 11.8 rebounds, and three blocks in five NBA Finals games, ceding Finals MVP to Duncan.

2003 - Robinson goes out on top

One ring wasn't enough for Robinson to call it quits, and he'd stick around with the Spurs for a few years longer, still playing significant minutes as a starter alongside Duncan.

At age 37, Robinson's twilight tour paid off, with the Spurs once again capturing an NBA championship. Led by Duncan and now flanked by Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili, the Spurs were able to send Robinson off into the sunset with a second ring.

Robinson remained effective in a limited role, averaging 8.5 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks in 26.2 minutes, and followed it up with a 13-point, 17-rebound performance in the championship-clinching game.

2009 - Robinson inducted into Hall of Fame

Given his considerable resume - two titles, an MVP, 10 All-Star appearances, four All-NBA first teams, 10 total All-NBA teams, eight All-Defensive teams, a Rookie of the Year, a scoring title, a block title, a rebounding title, a sportsmanship award, two Olympic gold medals, and a place on the league's 50th Anniversary All-Time Team - it's little surprise Robinson was Hall of Fame bound.

He was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame with the class of 2009.

In 2010, he would be inducted a second time as a member of the Dream Team, and is also a two-time member of the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame and a member of the FIBA Hall of Fame.