Herb Teretsky, 67, does not think of himself as a superstar.
He has kept score for the Nets for the past 47 years and plans to work four more years to reach a career benchmark.
The dedicated score keeper has not missed a game since 1984.
He was born and raised in Brownsville, Brooklyn and now lives in Bayside.
“Being a scorekeeper for the Nets is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re going to get,” he said, quoting the famous line from “Forrest Gump.”
His career has included many ups and downs along the way. He has traveled the world and formed relationships with superstars like Shaquille O’Neal, Michael Jordan and Julius “Dr. J” Erving.
Teretsky has also racked up points in the literary world, writing about the experiences and acquaintances he has made during his journeys.
In his 2010 book “Basketball and Life,” he wrote about the people who mattered to them going back to when he became involved in basketball at age 21.
“It was a great undertaking and a lot of fun,” Teretsky said of the book. He also wrote 200 poems in a period of two months. He described that publication as “simply private and personal thoughts.”
Teretsky said he tried his best to make readers feel like they are sitting courtside and working with some of the greatest athletes in the world.
“I’m not the player, I’m just there to keep score,” he added.
Teretsky’s career highlights include mentions in numerous halls of fame. But his career has seen its share of tragedy, as when his friend the Croatian professional basketball player Drazen Petrovic died in a car accident at the age 28. Teretsky said the death of Petrovic, who was also Teretsky’s son’s hero, created a “horrible situation for the team.”
During his more than four decades so far with the Nets, Teretsky has been the official scorer for
NBA games in Japan, Mexico City and Canada. He has scored the NBA Hall of Fame’s exhibition game in Springfield, Massachusetts. While building his career as the NBA’s preeminent official scorer, Teretsky also coached touring teams in Israel, Greece, Belgium and France, winning the prestigious Tournoi Internationals in 1984.
“This last year may have been the best year of my career,” Teretsky said.
Teretsky with an autographed basketball to commemorate the Nets’ 1976 American Basketball Association Championship.
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