As of: January 18, 2024, 11:42 p.m
By: Patrick Huljina
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Dejan Milojevic died unexpectedly on Wednesday.
The basketball world mourns the loss of a “beloved colleague and good friend”.
Salt Lake City – Terrible news sent the basketball world into mourning on Wednesday (January 17): Dejan Milojevic died unexpectedly at the age of just 46.
The assistant coach of the Golden State Warriors, one of the most successful NBA teams in recent years, suffered a heart attack on Tuesday evening during a team dinner in Salt Lake City.
As the club announced in an official statement, Milojevic was taken to hospital due to the medical emergency.
Despite life-saving measures, the Serb finally died late on Wednesday morning.
The NBA had postponed the Warriors' basketball game against the Utah Jazz, scheduled for Wednesday evening (local time), indefinitely hours before the death was announced.
Dejan Milojevic died unexpectedly on Wednesday.
(Archive image) © Norbert Scanella/Imago
Dejan Milojevic dies unexpectedly: “We are devastated”
“We are devastated by the sudden death of Dejan,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said in a team statement.
"In addition to being an outstanding basketball coach, Dejan was also one of the most positive and wonderful people I have ever known." On X (formerly Twitter), the Warriors shared a picture of the deceased and wrote: "It is a shocking and tragic blow for everyone.”
There is also great sympathy for the death of the 46-year-old beyond the club's borders.
Many NBA teams expressed their condolences on social media.
The top German team, FC Bayern Basketball, also dedicated a post to Milojevic.
Basketball superstar Luka Doncic wrote: “Rest in peace, Deki.” NBA boss Adam Silver also expressed his condolences to Milojevic’s family and described him as a “beloved colleague and good friend.”
There was a moment of silence before the NBA games on Wednesday evening.
Milojevic is considered a basketball legend in his homeland: successful as a player and coach
Milojevic, who is considered a basketball legend in his native Serbia, has been Kerr's assistant coach at the Warriors since 2021.
Together they led the team around superstar Stephen Curry to the NBA title in 2022.
The basketball coach was also known in professional circles for having played a large part in the development of Nikola Jokic from the Denver Nuggets.
The Serbian superstar has been named the NBA's most valuable player twice in the past three years.
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As a player, the Serb was a professional for a total of 22 years.
He was considered a forward of international class and became European champion with Serbia and Montenegro in 2001.
At club level, Milojevic won the championship three times in a row with Partizan Belgrade from 2004 to 2006 and was named MVP.
A death also caused great sadness in the football world this week: Hertha President Kay Bernstein died at the age of 43.
After the death of Franz Beckenbauer, it was the loss of another important and popular figure in German football this year.
(ph/dpa/sid)