#4 Geno Carlisle Ottawa Hills 6′4 G

Geno Carlisle has played in a wide variety of places when it comes to his basketball career. My favorite is the driveway of my childhood home near the Grand Rapids/Kentwood border. Here in GR, many know Carlisle’s skills whether they remember him at GR Union or at Ottawa Hills. While the basketball scene has always been doted on by the local media, Carlisle didn’t get the amount of press deserved for a talented kid coming out of Grand Rapids.

Upon leaving GR in 1994, Geno went off to Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. He led the Wildcats in scoring 14 times during his Freshman season and was named to the All-Big Ten First Team after his sophomore year, in which he averaged nearly 15 points. Always searching for the next challenge, Carlisle transferred to Cal-Berkeley. Having to sit out due to NCAA transfer rules, Carlisle was selected to compete on the USA Select 22-&-under team that faced off against “Dream Team 3″ at the Palace of Auburn Hills, home of the Detroit Pistons. Carlisle was scoreless in six minutes of play.

When he arrived in the PAC-10 in 1997, Carlisle led the Golden Bears in scoring and was named to the All-Newcomer team. To follow that up, during his senior year in 1998-99, Geno led Cal to the postseason NIT Tournament title at Madison Square Garden in NYC.

Going undrafted in the NBA meant Carlisle would begin his professional career in the CBA with the Rockford Lightning. Carlisle left the CBA to chase his dream internationally until 2002 when he returned to the newly formed NBDL and the Mobile Revelers. Geno returned to the NBA Summer League in 2004 with the Orlando Magic and played in six games for the Portland TrailBlazers in the 2004-05 season, making his debut on November 17, 2004.

Carlisle’s father, Clarence, was drafted by the Detroit Pistons in 1973, but was released before the season.

(photo credit: Willamette Weekly)