Golden State Warriors assistant trainer Dejan Milojević died Wednesday, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski introduced. He was once 46.
Milojević have been taken to a sanatorium in Salt Lake Town after having a “unexpected and severe well being factor” at a group dinner final night time. The Warriors recreation in opposition to the Nuggets was once postponed because of the placement. In keeping with the Serbian site Meridian Game, the reason for dying was once a middle assault.
“We’re completely devastated via Dejan’s unexpected passing,” mentioned Warriors head trainer Steve Kerr in a observation. “This can be a stunning and tragic blow for everybody related to the Warriors and a shockingly tough time for his circle of relatives, buddies, and all folks who had the unbelievable excitement to paintings with him. Along with being an excellent basketball trainer, Dejan was once probably the most sure and wonderful human beings I’ve ever identified, any individual who introduced pleasure and light-weight to each and every unmarried day together with his pastime and effort.”
His former groups,Valencia and Galatasaray, each posted tributes on X.
He joined the Warriors as an assistant in 2021, after being the pinnacle trainer of Mega Vizura in his house nation Serbia from 2012-21. He in brief coached Budućnost in Montenegro prior to shifting directly to the Warriors.
“Dejan Milojević, the golden consultant of our nation, the adored character of Serbian basketball, a person with the widest smile and huge energy, a large middle stopped beating within the far-off and chilly Salt Lake Town. By no means less warm, that January 17, 2024,” reads an in memoriam about Milojević on Meridian Game.
Milojević was once a celebrity in Europe, with a 15-year occupation spanning between time in Serbia, Montenegro, Spain and Turkey. He was once a three-time ABA Adriatic MVP from 2003-06. He’s additionally identified for coaching five-time NBA All-Megastar Nikola Jokić. Milojević received a championship with Golden State in 2022.
