Dejan Milojevic had suffered a heart attack at a team dinner in Salt Lake City on Tuesday night and died on Wednesday morning despite “life-saving efforts. He played in Spain, Turkey, and for his homeland, where he began his coaching career and joined the Warriors as an assistant coach in 2021.
Golden State Warriors posted on X “We are absolutely devastated by Dejan Milojevic’s sudden passing. This is a shocking and tragic blow for everyone associated with the Warriors and an incredibly difficult time for his family, friends, and all of us who had the incredible pleasure of working with him. we grieve with and for his wife, Natasa, and their children, Nikola and Masa.
Due to the sudden “medical emergency in the Warriors family, the Warriors’ scheduled game against the Utah Jazz on Wednesday had to be postponed. A rescheduled date will be announced later assured by the NBA.
Dejan Milojevic was in his third season on the Warriors’ coaching team. He had previously been a player for Serbia and assistant coach to the national team. He coached multiple NBA players, including Serbian Nikola Jokic. Milojevic was named ABA Most Valuable Player three times. In 2012 he began coaching overseas, after he retired from professional basketball due to knee issues. In 2021 he joined the Warriors’ coaching staff.
After the tragic news of Milojevic’s death, players from around the league took to X with different heartfelt reactions and tributes to the Warriors’ assistant coach.