Terry Dehere
Lennox Dominique "Terry" Dehere (born September 12, 1971) is an American former professional basketball player and community developer from Jersey City, New Jersey.[1] He gained prominence as a standout guard at Seton Hall University, where he amassed 2,494 career points, setting school and Big East Conference records at the time, and led the Pirates in scoring each of his four seasons from 1989 to 1993.[2] Dehere earned All-Big East honors multiple times and was selected 13th overall in the 1993 NBA Draft by the Los Angeles Clippers, though his professional career proved brief, spanning limited NBA appearances with the Clippers and later stints in Europe and minor leagues.[1][3] After retiring from basketball, Dehere transitioned into public service and real estate, winning election to the Jersey City Board of Education and founding initiatives for affordable housing through organizations like the Jersey City Community Housing Corporation to address urban poverty in his hometown.[4] His efforts have included developing mixed-income projects but encountered legal disputes with local authorities over contracts and property sales, including a 2024 federal appeals court ruling affirming his right to sell a contested site amid claims of municipal interference.[5][6] These endeavors reflect Dehere's commitment to community upliftment, drawing on his roots in Jersey City's working-class Arlington Gardens neighborhood and his high school success at St. Anthony's under coach Bob Hurley.[3]Early Life and Background
Childhood and Family
Lennox Dominique Dehere, known as Terry, was born on September 12, 1971, in New York City and raised in the Arlington Gardens apartment complex in Jersey City's Arlington Park neighborhood.[1][3] This public housing development, managed by the Jersey City Housing Authority as non-federal affordable units, served low-income residents amid the urban challenges of the area, including higher poverty rates in Hudson County during the 1970s and 1980s.[7] Dehere's father, Lennox Dehere Sr., worked as the building superintendent, while his mother, Greta, often observed her son's early basketball games from their kitchen window overlooking the complex's courts.[3] Dehere was the youngest of four siblings, with three older sisters: Cherrie Ann, Jillan, and Suzanne; he was the first in his immediate family of six to attend college.[8][9] His upbringing in this working-class environment fostered an early immersion in street basketball, where he honed skills on local courts despite limited resources, reflecting the grit of Jersey City's inner-city youth culture.[3] These formative experiences in a modest household underscored values of perseverance that Dehere later credited to his parents' influence.[10]High School Career
Terry Dehere attended St. Anthony High School in Jersey City, New Jersey, from 1985 to 1989, playing basketball under coach Bob Hurley, whose program emphasized intense discipline and fundamentals.[3][11] The Friars' teams during Dehere's tenure lost only four games over four seasons, showcasing the program's dominance in New Jersey high school basketball.[3] In his senior year of 1988–89, Dehere formed a formidable backcourt alongside Bobby Hurley, helping lead St. Anthony to a perfect 32–0 record, the New Jersey Tournament of Champions title, and the national No. 1 ranking.[12][11] Hurley developed Dehere into a precise outside shooter, earning him the nickname "Rubber Band Man" for his quick release and contributing to the team's undefeated campaign as one of the nation's top squads.[3] Dehere's experiences at St. Anthony, including consistent high-level competition and Hurley's demanding coaching style, honed his competitive edge and work ethic, laying the groundwork for his recruitment to Seton Hall University.[3][11]College Career
Terry Dehere attended Seton Hall University from 1989 to 1993, playing as a guard for the Pirates under head coach P.J. Carlesimo.[13] [14] He led the team in scoring during each of his four seasons, averaging 20.8 points per game over 120 games.[15] [3] Dehere concluded his college career with 2,494 points, a total that set Seton Hall's all-time scoring record and the Big East Conference career points mark at the time.[15] [16] He also established the Big East record for career three-point field goals made with 166.[16] In NCAA Tournament appearances from 1991 to 1993, spanning nine games across three years, he averaged 23.4 points per game.[16] Individually, Dehere garnered first-team All-Big East selections in 1991, 1992, and 1993, along with Big East Player of the Year honors in 1993.[13] He earned consensus second-team All-American status and NCAA All-Region recognition in the 1990–91 season.[13] Seton Hall, during Dehere's tenure, qualified for three NCAA Tournaments (1991–1993) as part of Carlesimo's six overall bids, but exited in the first or second round each time, underscoring strong individual output amid team inconsistencies in a competitive Big East.[14] [13] The university retired his No. 24 jersey in honor of his record-setting contributions.[2]