Geno Carlisle
Encyclopedia
Geno Marcellus Carlisle (born August 13, 1976 in Grand Rapids, Michigan
) is an American professional basketball
player. The 6' 3", 200-lb. point guard
has played in Venezuela
, Italy
, Spain
, Greece
, Kuwait
, the American Basketball Association
and Continental Basketball Association
.
in Evanston, Illinois
in 1994. His stellar skills stood out despite the team's overall poor performance, as he started 20 of 26 games as a freshman during the 1994-95 season and led the team in scoring 14 times. As a sophomore, he averaged 19.7 points, 2.6 rebounds and 2.7 assists, and ranked second in the Big Ten Conference in scoring. He scored 39 points in one game against Wisconsin
, and made a school-record 17 free throw
s (out of 20 attempted) in the process. He was named to the All-Big Ten First Team after the season, but the team's overall record during his two seasons was 12-42. After starting as the Wildcats point guard for two seasons, he left the school to transfer to the University of California, Berkeley
.
During the summer of 1996, Carlisle was selected, along with the likes of Tim Duncan
, Paul Pierce
and Chauncey Billups
, to participate in USA Basketball
's Select 22-and-under team. The team competed against Dream Team III in an exhibition contest in advance of the 1996 Summer Olympics
in Auburn Hills, Michigan
on July 6, and lost 96-90. Carlisle was scoreless in 6 minutes of play.
Carlisle sat out the 1996-1997 season at Cal, as required by NCAA transfer rules. During his junior season (1997-1998), he led the team in scoring and was named to the Pac-10 All-Newcomer team. As a senior, he averaged 15.9 points and 3.9 assists, and led the California Golden Bears
to the post-season National Invitation Tournament
title in March 1999. Carlisle converted a three-point play with 4.7 seconds left to lift the Bears to a 61-60 victory over Clemson
in the tournament's championship game. He led the team in assists, and set a career high with 10 against Southern California
, and scored at least 25 points six times, with a season-high of 29 in a win over North Carolina
. Carlisle made 27 consecutive free throws from February 29 to March 6. He was selected honorable mention All-Pac 10 and was team co-Most Valuable Player of the Year.
, and instead began his professional career in basketball's minor leagues. He played in the 1999-2000 season for the Rockford Lightning
of the CBA
, where he averaged 10.6 points in a reserve role. In 2000, he moved to Venezuela
to play for Marinos de Oriente. In 2000-01, he started the season with the San Diego Wildfire
in the American Basketball Association
, averaging 22.8 points, before moving on to Rooster Varese
in Italy
, where he averaged 24.7 points in 10 games, and later Adecco Estudiantes Madrid
for the ACB playoffs. In 2001-02, he started the season with the ABA's Las Vegas Slam, but shortly moved back to Italy to play for De Vizia Scandone Avellino
, where he appeared in 6 games and averaged 17.7 points.
During the 2002-2003 season, he played briefly for the Mobile Revelers
of the NBDL, as well as Italy's Carife Ferrara
(Serie A2). In 2003-2004, Carlisle played for the ABA's Long Beach Jam, as well as Venezuela's Guaiqueríes de Margarita and Kuwait
's Al Kuwait SC. In 2005, he returned to the Jam and, in 2006, joined the Yakama Sun Kings
of the CBA.
Though he has spent many seasons with foreign teams and in the minor leagues, Carlisle continued to pursue his goal of making an NBA roster. He played for the Denver Nuggets
in the 2001 Rocky Mountain Summer League and for the Orlando Magic
in the 2004 Pepsi Pro Summer League. He also spent 6 games with the Portland Trail Blazers
during the 2004-05 NBA season
.
In 2006/07, he played in Portugal for SL Benfica.
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Grand Rapids is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. The city is located on the Grand River about 40 miles east of Lake Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 188,040. In 2010, the Grand Rapids metropolitan area had a population of 774,160 and a combined statistical area, Grand...
) is an American professional basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player. The 6' 3", 200-lb. point guard
Point guard
Point guard , also called the play maker or "the ball-handler", is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. A point guard has perhaps the most specialized role of any position – essentially, he is expected to run the team's offense by controlling the ball and making sure that...
has played in Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
, Kuwait
Kuwait
The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
, the American Basketball Association
American Basketball Association (21st century)
The American Basketball Association, often abbreviated as ABA, is a semi-professional men's basketball league that was founded in 1999. The current ABA has no affiliation with the original American Basketball Association that merged with the National Basketball Association in 1976...
and Continental Basketball Association
Continental Basketball Association
The Continental Basketball Association was a professional men's basketball league in the United States, which has been on hiatus since the 2009 season.- History :...
.
Collegiate career
Carlisle began his collegiate basketball career at Northwestern UniversityNorthwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
in Evanston, Illinois
Evanston, Illinois
Evanston is a suburban municipality in Cook County, Illinois 12 miles north of downtown Chicago, bordering Chicago to the south, Skokie to the west, and Wilmette to the north, with an estimated population of 74,360 as of 2003. It is one of the North Shore communities that adjoin Lake Michigan...
in 1994. His stellar skills stood out despite the team's overall poor performance, as he started 20 of 26 games as a freshman during the 1994-95 season and led the team in scoring 14 times. As a sophomore, he averaged 19.7 points, 2.6 rebounds and 2.7 assists, and ranked second in the Big Ten Conference in scoring. He scored 39 points in one game against Wisconsin
University of Wisconsin–Madison
The University of Wisconsin–Madison is a public research university located in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1848, UW–Madison is the flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin System. It became a land-grant institution in 1866...
, and made a school-record 17 free throw
Free throw
In basketball, free throws or foul shots are unopposed attempts to score points from a restricted area on the court , and are generally awarded after a foul on the shooter by the opposing team...
s (out of 20 attempted) in the process. He was named to the All-Big Ten First Team after the season, but the team's overall record during his two seasons was 12-42. After starting as the Wildcats point guard for two seasons, he left the school to transfer to the University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
.
During the summer of 1996, Carlisle was selected, along with the likes of Tim Duncan
Tim Duncan
Timothy Theodore "Tim" Duncan is an American professional basketball player for the San Antonio Spurs of the National Basketball Association . The 6-foot 11-inch , 255-pound power forward/center is a four-time NBA champion, two-time NBA MVP, three-time NBA Finals MVP, and NBA Rookie of the Year...
, Paul Pierce
Paul Pierce
Paul Anthony Pierce , nicknamed The Truth, is an American professional basketball player for the Boston Celtics of the NBA. He earned First Team All-America honors in his junior year at Kansas, and has been a starter every season since being selected by the Celtics with the 10th overall pick in the...
and Chauncey Billups
Chauncey Billups
Chauncey Ray Billups is an American professional basketball point guard for the New York Knicks of the National Basketball Association . He has also played for Team USA. Billups won the NBA Finals MVP in 2004, helping the Detroit Pistons beat the Los Angeles Lakers in the Finals, and was given the...
, to participate in USA Basketball
USA Basketball
USA Basketball is a non-profit organization and the governing body for basketball in the United States. The organization represents the United States in FIBA and the men's and women's national basketball teams in the United States Olympic Committee...
's Select 22-and-under team. The team competed against Dream Team III in an exhibition contest in advance of the 1996 Summer Olympics
1996 Summer Olympics
The 1996 Summer Olympics of Atlanta, officially known as the Games of the XXVI Olympiad and unofficially known as the Centennial Olympics, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia, United States....
in Auburn Hills, Michigan
Auburn Hills, Michigan
Auburn Hills is a city in Metro Detroit, Oakland County, in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 21,412 at the 2010 census. The city was formed in 1983 when Pontiac Township became the City of Auburn Hills.-Economy:...
on July 6, and lost 96-90. Carlisle was scoreless in 6 minutes of play.
Carlisle sat out the 1996-1997 season at Cal, as required by NCAA transfer rules. During his junior season (1997-1998), he led the team in scoring and was named to the Pac-10 All-Newcomer team. As a senior, he averaged 15.9 points and 3.9 assists, and led the California Golden Bears
California Golden Bears
The California Golden Bears is the nickname used for 29 varsity athletic programs and various club teams of the University of California, Berkeley...
to the post-season National Invitation Tournament
1999 National Invitation Tournament
-Semifinals & Finals:*Third Place - Xavier 106, Oregon 75...
title in March 1999. Carlisle converted a three-point play with 4.7 seconds left to lift the Bears to a 61-60 victory over Clemson
Clemson Tigers
The Clemson Tigers are any team that represents Clemson University as a member of the NCAA's Division I or in the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference....
in the tournament's championship game. He led the team in assists, and set a career high with 10 against Southern California
USC Trojans
The USC Trojans are the athletic teams representing the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, California. While the men's teams are nicknamed the Trojans, the women's athletic teams are referred to as either the Trojans or Women of Troy...
, and scored at least 25 points six times, with a season-high of 29 in a win over North Carolina
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a public research university located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States...
. Carlisle made 27 consecutive free throws from February 29 to March 6. He was selected honorable mention All-Pac 10 and was team co-Most Valuable Player of the Year.
Professional career
Carlisle was not selected in the NBA DraftNBA Draft
The NBA Draft is an annual event in which the thirty teams from the National Basketball Association can draft players who are eligible and wish to join the league. These players are usually amateur U.S. college basketball players, but international players are also eligible to be drafted...
, and instead began his professional career in basketball's minor leagues. He played in the 1999-2000 season for the Rockford Lightning
Rockford Lightning
The Rockford Lightning were a basketball team that played in the Continental Basketball Association. They were based in Rockford, Illinois. The Lightning were the oldest team in the CBA, originally existing as the Lancaster Red Roses from Lancaster, Pennsylvania...
of the CBA
Continental Basketball Association
The Continental Basketball Association was a professional men's basketball league in the United States, which has been on hiatus since the 2009 season.- History :...
, where he averaged 10.6 points in a reserve role. In 2000, he moved to Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
to play for Marinos de Oriente. In 2000-01, he started the season with the San Diego Wildfire
San Diego Wildfire
The San Diego Wildfire was an American Basketball Association team based in San Diego, California. The team played in the San Diego Sports Arena starting in the fall of 2000. The team played only the 2000-2001 ABA season....
in the American Basketball Association
American Basketball Association (21st century)
The American Basketball Association, often abbreviated as ABA, is a semi-professional men's basketball league that was founded in 1999. The current ABA has no affiliation with the original American Basketball Association that merged with the National Basketball Association in 1976...
, averaging 22.8 points, before moving on to Rooster Varese
Pallacanestro Varese
-Notable players:-Notable coaches: Aleksandar Nikolić Nico Messina Sandro Gamba Edoardo Rusconi Joe Isaac Carlo Recalcati Valerio Bianchini Ruben Magnano-Sponsorship names:Through the years, due to sponsorship deals, it has been also known as:...
in Italy
Serie A (basketball)
Lega Basket Serie A is the highest level club competition in Italian professional basketball where play determines the national champion. The season consists of a home-and-away schedule of 30 games, followed by an eight-team playoff round. Quarterfinals and semifinals series are best-of-five, and...
, where he averaged 24.7 points in 10 games, and later Adecco Estudiantes Madrid
CB Estudiantes
Club Baloncesto Estudiantes, S.A.D., known as Asefa Estudiantes for sponsorship reasons, is a basketball team based in the city of Madrid, Community of Madrid. It is member of the Asociación de Clubes de Baloncesto . Founded in 1948, it is one of the most recognized basketball teams in Spain...
for the ACB playoffs. In 2001-02, he started the season with the ABA's Las Vegas Slam, but shortly moved back to Italy to play for De Vizia Scandone Avellino
S.S. Felice Scandone
S.S. Felice Scandone, also known by their sponsorship name of Sidigas Avellino, is a prominent Italian League professional basketball club that is based in Avellino, in southern Italy. For past club sponsorship names, see the list below.-History:...
, where he appeared in 6 games and averaged 17.7 points.
During the 2002-2003 season, he played briefly for the Mobile Revelers
Mobile Revelers
The Mobile Revelers were a National Basketball Development League team based in Mobile, Alabama. Playing their home games at the Mobile Civic Center, the Revelers was a charter franchise in the 2001-02 season and folded after the 2002-03 season...
of the NBDL, as well as Italy's Carife Ferrara
Basket Club Ferrara
Basket Club Ferrara is an Italian professional basketball team from the town of Ferrara. The club was established in 1999. For past club sponsorship names, see the list below.-History:...
(Serie A2). In 2003-2004, Carlisle played for the ABA's Long Beach Jam, as well as Venezuela's Guaiqueríes de Margarita and Kuwait
Kuwait
The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
's Al Kuwait SC. In 2005, he returned to the Jam and, in 2006, joined the Yakama Sun Kings
Yakama Sun Kings
The Yakama Sun Kings were a Continental Basketball Association franchise located in Yakima, Washington, United States, covering the central Washington sports market of Yakima, Tri-Cities and Ellensburg...
of the CBA.
Though he has spent many seasons with foreign teams and in the minor leagues, Carlisle continued to pursue his goal of making an NBA roster. He played for the Denver Nuggets
Denver Nuggets
The Denver Nuggets are a professional basketball team based in Denver, Colorado. They play in the National Basketball Association . They were founded as the Denver Rockets in 1967 as a charter franchise of the American Basketball Association, and became one of that league's more successful teams...
in the 2001 Rocky Mountain Summer League and for the Orlando Magic
Orlando Magic
The Orlando Magic is a professional basketball team based in Orlando, Florida. They play in the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association and are currently coached by Stan Van Gundy...
in the 2004 Pepsi Pro Summer League. He also spent 6 games with the Portland Trail Blazers
Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers, commonly known as the Blazers, are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The Trail Blazers originally played their home games in the...
during the 2004-05 NBA season
2004-05 NBA season
The 2004–05 NBA season was the 59th season of the National Basketball Association . It began on November 2, 2004 and ended June 23, 2005. The season ended with the San Antonio Spurs defeating defending champion Detroit Pistons 4–3 in the NBA Finals....
.
In 2006/07, he played in Portugal for SL Benfica.
Trivia
- Geno's father, Clarence, was selected by the Detroit PistonsDetroit PistonsThe Detroit Pistons are a franchise of the National Basketball Association based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The team's home arena is The Palace of Auburn Hills. It was originally founded in Fort Wayne, Indiana as the Fort Wayne Pistons as a member of the National Basketball League in 1941, where...
in the 1973 NBA Draft1973 NBA DraftThe 1973 NBA Draft was the 27th annual draft of the National Basketball Association . The draft was held on April 24, 1973 before the 1973–74 season. In this draft, 17 NBA teams took turns selecting amateur U.S. college basketball players and other eligible players, including international players...
, but was cut from the team the day before the season began.
- While at Northwestern, Geno was quoted as saying: "It may sound cocky, but the only player in ChicagoChicagoChicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
who is better than me is Michael JordanMichael JordanMichael Jeffrey Jordan is a former American professional basketball player, active entrepreneur, and majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats...
."