Golden State Warriors assistant coach Dejan Milojevic died Wednesday morning at the age of 46 after suffering a heart attack in Salt Lake City (Utah) from Tuesday January 16 to Wednesday January 17, and was rushed to hospital, North American Basketball announced. League (NBA) and the California franchise on Wednesday evening.
Milojevic fell ill Tuesday evening during a private team dinner, leading to the postponement of Wednesday’s game against the Utah Jazz. The Warriors franchise said “Despite all efforts to save him”He died late on Wednesday morning.
“We are completely devastated by Dejan’s sudden death”Golden State head coach Steve Kerr, who hired the Serbian as an assistant in 2021 and with whom he won an NBA championship title in 2022, responded.
“He was a lot of fun to be around. At the same time, he had an amazing experience in basketball, both as a player and a coach. It meant a lot to us to bring in Decky.Steve Kerr explained in a video broadcast by the Warriors last year.
Dejan Milojevic was crowned European Champion in 2001 with Yugoslavia as a player who played for clubs in Serbia, Spain and Turkey. The head coach of the Serbian Mega Basket Club, he was also an assistant with the Serbian national team alongside current assistant Igor Koskoskov of the Atlanta Hawks.
In Europe, he contributed to the development of many big players, including the Serbian pivot Nikola Jokic (double MVP – the best player in the league – and reigning NBA champion with Denver) or the Croatian Los Angeles Clippers Ivica Zubac, who condemned on Instagram. its loss “Friend Deki”His nickname.
A minute of silence in some NBA rooms
On the network or in front of the cameras, players (Pau Gasol, Karl-Anthony Towns, etc.) and coaches paid tribute before Wednesday’s games. “You changed my life in such a short time (…) We will miss your joy of life and your laughter forever”Young Warriors fullback Brandin Podzimski reacted.
Toronto Raptors Serbian coach Darko Rajakovic regrets leaving “As a role model, a player, a man, a husband and a coach”whom he knew “From Adolescence”. “During our last meeting he talked about his dream to one day become the coach of Serbia”Rajkovich added before the Raptors’ game against Miami.
In his playing career, Dejan Milojevic won three consecutive titles (2004, 2005 and 2006) as the best player (MVP) in the Adriatic League, a championship that brings together the best teams from the countries of the former Yugoslavia. NBA star Nikola Jokic was also crowned that league’s MVP in 2015, one year after current Golden State forward Dario Saric.
“I teach all my players that basketball is not a job, but they should love the game,” Dejan Milojevic told Bosnian radio and television RTV during an interview in 2018. Because if you want to do something for the next twenty years, you have to love it a lot. It’s not easy to endure all this effort if you don’t like something. Only those who have sincere love for the game can handle everything very successfully. »
Through the voice of his boss, Adam Silver, the NBA paid tribute to Dejan Milojevic, “A valued colleague and dear friend to many in the international basketball community”. A minute’s silence was observed in some rooms before the start of the day’s matches, notably at Boston’s TD Garden, which hosts Victor Wembanyama’s San Antonio Spurs.
