Career
Gensichen starred at South Bend Central High School in South Bend, Indiana, playing for future Hall of Fame coach John Wooden. He played college basketball at Western Michigan University from 1941 to 1943, earning third-team All-American honors from Converse in 1943. Gensichen then spent three years serving in the United States Navy during World World War II before returning to WMU for his final season of eligibility in 1946.
Following his college career, Gensichen returned to his home state to play with the Indianapolis Kautskys of the American NBL (a league that would eventually merge with the Basketball Association of America to form the National Basketball Association) for the 1947-1948 season.
He averaged 6.1 points in 32 games for the Kautskys before being traded to the Flint Dow A.C. (before Christ)"s for the last four games of the season. Following the season, Gensichen"s contract was purchased by the Anderson Packers of the National Basketball Association, but he never played for the franchise.
