Golden State Warriors 46-year-old assistant coach Dejan Milojevic has died after suffering a heart attack at a private team dinner in Salt Lake City on Tuesday night.
The NBA announced that Wednesday night’s scheduled game between the Golden State Warriors and Utah Jazz at the Delta Center would be postponed after the coach was hospitalized at a Salt Lake City-area hospital. Despite life-saving efforts including emergency surgery, Milosevic died Wednesday.
“We are absolutely devastated by Dejan’s sudden passing,” Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said in a team 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.
“In addition to being a terrific basketball coach, Dejan was one of the most positive and beautiful human beings I have ever known, someone who brought joy and light to every single day with his passion and energy. We grieve with and for his wife, Natasa, and their children, Nikola and Masa. Their loss is unfathomable.”
A Warriors team spokesman spoke to the San Francisco Chronicle, describing the team’s mood as “shaken” and “in prayer mode” since the incident. Players and coaches had also been spending time at the Utah hospital with Milojevic. The team plans to fly back to California “later Wednesday.”
The Jazz organization also released a statement about the loss of Milojevic.
“The Utah Jazz organization expresses our deepest condolences following the tragic passing of Golden State Warriors assistant coach Dejan Milojević. Our thoughts are with his family, friends, and the entire Warriors family during this difficult time. Milojević was a well-respected and beloved member of the NBA family. We join the Warriors, the NBA, and basketball fans everywhere in mourning this incredible loss. He will be greatly missed.”
Jazz player Lauri Markkanen posted his own remarks on X: “Awful news today. My deepest condolences to Coach Milojevic’s family and the Warriors organization.”
Milojevic had been a part of the Warriors coaching staff since 2021. He enjoyed a 14-year playing career overseas, including being named the Adriatic League’s MVP three times. He then became head coach of KK Mega Basket in Belgrade, Serbia, for eight seasons, between 2012-2020. Milojevic also worked for former Utah Jazz assistant coach Igor Kokoskov in leading the Serbian men’s national basketball team between 2019 and 2021.
Jazz head coach Will Hardy also worked with Milojevic when leading the San Antonio Spurs’ 2017 summer league team in Utah. Milojevic joined that team’s staff as an assistant coach.
Wednesday’s game between the Warriors and Jazz, originally scheduled for 7 p.m. MT, will be played at a later date, the NBA said. The Warriors also canceled their scheduled 10 a.m. shootaround at the University of Utah on Wednesday.
The Jazz confirmed the game’s announcement, saying “All tickets for tonight’s game will be honored for the rescheduled game against the Warriors once a date has been determined.”
Utah’s next game is at the Delta Center against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday.
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