46-year-old Warrior’s helper Dejan Milojevi dies of a heart attack.
Dejan Milojevi, an assistant coach for the Golden State Warriors and a former star player in his native Serbia, was a mentor to two-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic. He passed away on Wednesday in Utah after sustaining a heart attack, the team announced.
At the age of 46, Milojević was a member of the staff that contributed to the Warriors’ 2022 NBA championship. Team coach Steve Kerr stated on behalf of the organization expressing profound sadness over the untimely demise of Dejan.
Milojevi was hospitalized and passed away during the intimate team dinner in Salt Lake City on Tuesday night due to a medical emergency. The NBA canceled the contest between the Utah Jazz and the Golden State Warriors scheduled for Wednesday night.
“This is a shocking or tragic blow to everyone involved with the Golden State Warriors and an extremely trying time for his loved ones, fellow teammates, and every one of us who enjoyed the incredible pleasure of working with him.”
Amidst the swift and extensive expressions of condolence that followed Milojević’s passing, the basketball community observed moments of silence before NBA games on Wednesday. As reported, Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra described the situation as “horrific.”
Forward Bogdan Bogdanovic of Atlanta, who, like Milojevi, is of Serbian descent, declined comment courteously Wednesday before the Hawks’ game, stating, “I apologize. Currently, I am unable to discuss it.
“I feel terrible,” he said as he tapped his chest. San Antonio head coach Gregg Popovich gushed about Milojevi, praising his coaching prowess.
The Golden State Warriors announced on Wednesday that temporary head coach Dejan Milojevi was deceased.
On Tuesday in Utah, the 46-year-old suffered a heart attack during a team dinner. Wednesday morning, he passed away in the hospital, notwithstanding his “life-saving efforts.”
“We are in a state of absolute devastation over the untimely death of Dejan,” Warriors head coach Steve Kerr read. Our condolences are extended to his wife, Natasa, and their two children, Nikola and Masa. They have suffered an unfathomable loss.
His family, friends, and every one of us who had the immense pleasure of working with him are going through an unbearably trying time as everyone associated with the Warriors has been dealt a tragic and shocking setback.
In addition to being an exceptional basketball coach, Dejan proved to be one of the most beautiful and optimistic people I have ever met; his enthusiasm and vigor brought happiness and illumination to each passing day.
The Warriors’ scheduled match against the Utah Jazz in Salt Lake City on Wednesday was canceled earlier in the day by the NBA on account of Milojević’s medical condition.
The acquisition of Siakam will provide the team with first-round draft capital as well as a 27-year-old leader and formidable defender in Brown.
Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reported that Warriors personnel remained at the hospital until late Tuesday night before returning on Wednesday to behold Milojevi. Milojevi, a native of Serbia, carried the basketball legacy forward.
A professional athlete for fourteen years, he made stops in Turkey, Serbia, Spain, Montenegro, and Serbia between 1994 and 2009, when knee problems forced him to retire.
In 2012, he started coaching internationally and continued until 2021 when Kerr’s staff hired him, marking the beginning of his coaching career.
Additionally, Milojević was an assistant coach for the Houston Rockets in 2018 and the San Antonio Spurs in 2017.
Siakam, 29 years old, joins a Pacers squad that has surged to prominence this season due to All-Star guard Tyrese Halliburton’s continued development.
This season, Siakam has averaged 22.2 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 4.9 assists on 31.7% shooting from 3-point range and 52.2% from the field.
Siakam, a two-time All-Star, will join Halliburton and the versatile, two-way big Myles Turner as a member of the Indiana Pacers core if he maintains a long-term contract.
The acquisition of Siakam further indicates the rebuild in Toronto, which commenced in earnest with the December trade of O.G. Anunoby for the New York Knicks.
In exchange for Anunoby, the Raptors acquired Intermittent RJ Barrett, 24, Immanuel Quickley, and a second-round draft pick.