Golden State Warriors assistant coach Dejan Milojevic, a mentor to two-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic, passed away Wednesday afternoon at age 46 in Utah after suffering a heart attack.
He died in Salt Lake City, where he was hospitalized Tuesday night after the medical emergency occurred during a private team dinner. As an assistant, Milojevic helped the Warriors win the 2022 NBA Finals against the Boston Celtics.
The Warriors had been scheduled to play the Utah Jazz on Wednesday night, which the NBA later postponed. The date for the rescheduled game will be announced at a later time.
Dejan Milojević update: pic.twitter.com/bUKQGC3MHf
— Warriors PR (@WarriorsPR) January 17, 2024
“We are absolutely devastated by Dejan’s sudden passing,” Golden State coach Steve Kerr said in a statement. “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 to work with him.”
Milojevic was in his third season with the Warriors. His playing career ended in 2009. He previously coached for Mega Basket (2012-20) in Serbia and Buducnost (2021) in Montenegro.
In 2012, Milojevic was hired as head coach for Mega Basket of the Adriatic Basketball Association (ABA). He coached Jokic before the now-Denver Nuggets star was drafted into the NBA in 2014.
Golden State Warriors assistant Dejan Milojevic died at 46 after heart attack, joined NBA club in 2021
Milojevic was not only a head coach for eight years in Europe, but he also served as an assistant coach for the Serbian national team alongside current Atlanta Hawks assistant Igor Koskoskov.
“The NBA mourns the sudden passing of Golden State assistant coach Dejan Milojevic, a beloved colleague and dear friend to so many in the global basketball community,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said.
“In addition to winning the 2022 NBA championship in his first season with the Warriors and mentoring some of the best players in the world, Dejan had a decorated international playing career and was a distinguished head coach in his native Serbia.
“Our heartfelt condolences go out to his wife, Natasa, their children, Nikola and Masa, and the Warriors organization during this tragic time.”
We are absolutely devastated by Dejan Milojević’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 to work with him.
We grieve… pic.twitter.com/0wExlLlu5z
— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) January 17, 2024
Kent Lacob, the son of Warriors owner Joe Lacob, recommended Milojevic to Kerr’s coaching staff. In 2021, Kerr decided to pursue Milojevic. It soon became clear to the 2016 NBA Coach of the Year on why he was qualified.
“I immediately saw what Kent was talking about,” Kerr said in a video produced by the Warriors last year. “He was so great to be around. At the same time, he had this amazing basketball background both as a player and a coach. It made so much sense for us to bring Deki in.”
Dejan Milojevic won three straight MVP awards (2004-06) in the ABA League. Jokic was MVP of that league in 2015, a year after current Warriors forward Dario Saric was MVP.
No player has more ABA MVPs than Milojevic. One of his greatest accomplishments was scoring 141 points as a 14-year-old in 1991. In the second half, he scored 83 points after his coach told him to attempt all the shots.
