Terry Roberts’ journey back on track after a near-tragedy in Philadelphia
Last week, Terry Roberts put up a triple-double, a rarity in the G League. Even more rarely, he did the on the first anniversary of a shooting that almost cost him his life.
Terry Roberts, the Long Island Nets point guard, had a good game Tuesday night in the affiliate’s win over the Indiana Mad Ants. He scored 13 points, dished out nine assists, grabbed eight rebounds, shot 3-of-4 from deep and added two steals and a block.
Indeed since taking over from Killian Hayes, the 6’3” 24-year-old has averaged 11.6 points, 8.8 assists, 7.0 rebounds and 3.4. In one of those five games, he had triple double and in another, he was short only two rebounds and an assist.
Not bad for a local tryout, especially considering his breakout coincides with the first anniversary of his very serious brush with death in Philadelphia following a shooting inside a local bar. Indeed, as he told Brian Lewis, it was nothing short of a miracle that he’s gone from that moment to this.
“Yeah, for sure,” Roberts told The Post. “I mean, it’s definitely still crazy to me, just to know a year ago where I was, just to see how [far I’ve come], where I’m at now is crazy to me.
“But [it’s] just a testament just to how much work I put in these last few months just to get back to being me. So, I’m just grateful for that. You know, I’m grateful to still be here.”
A year ago February 26, an evening out turned into a near tragedy for the North Amityville, Long Island native.
Roberts got hit by a stray bullet outside the 5th Street Lounge in Philadelphia’s Olney neighborhood. Roberts and a teammate had just stopped at the bar. Roberts was walking in when a gunfight broke out on the street and Roberts was struck in the chest. An inch one way or another and his fate would have been quite different.
“We just went down to Philadelphia just to hang out,” Roberts told The Post. “Just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, you know? But like I said, just grateful to be here, I’m grateful to God, and just to be able to be here and to be back where I’m at now, just, I’m just so grateful.”
He was rushed to the Jefferson-Einstein Hospital in critical condition. He had to be put on a ventilator. It was touch-and-go. Would he play again took second place in his and his family’s thinking. First was whether he would live.
