Golden State Warriors assistant coach Dejan Milojevic passed away on 17 January 2024, aged 46, from a fatal heart attack in Salt Lake City. The coach was hospitalized right after he reported tightness in his chest while dining with fellow Warriors coaches and players, a day before his passing. The hospitalization resulted in the postponement of the Warriors’ game against the Utah Jazz, which was scheduled for the following day.
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The Warriors organization paid their sincere respects to Milojevic, a crucial part of the Warriors’ 2022 Championship campaign. Since the tragedy, the Dubs players and coaching staff have taken some time for themselves to mourn Milojevic’s untimely demise. Keeping in mind the gravity of the loss, the league has postponed their games against the Utah Jazz and the Dallas Mavericks.
The players and coaches have fond memories of Coach Deki, especially of him being a brutally honest mentor to the young Warriors core. Kevon Looney recently spoke for the first time since Milojevic’s passing, as seen in a recently posted clip by NBCS on X (formerly Twitter). Perhaps Looney’s memory of Coach Deki will always be the tough love he relayed to him to turn him into a better player.
“His English wasn’t always the best so he didn’t know how to sugarcoat anything,” said Looney, reminiscing the mentorship that he used to receive from the Serbian coach. “Anytime I wasn’t being aggressive, I wasn’t rebounding or boxing out — it’s a cuss word, I won’t say it. But he said, ‘Don’t be soft.’ But he would say the explicit word. I would always tell him, ‘You’re the only person I let talk to me like this.’”
Milojevic was the kind of person who would always encourage his players to never settle for less. “He was a nice guy, but he wasn’t nice. He was always honest, truthful, and someone I could always go to and say, ‘Hey, man, what do you think about this?’ — on and off the court,” added Looney, describing Coach Deki’s impact on his life and playing career.
Kevon Looney had his best two seasons with the Warriors since Milojevic joined the organization’s coaching staff in 2021. Under the Serbian national’s tutelage, Looney blossomed, while out-rebounding his taller competitors and averaging a career-high 9.3 rebounds per game in the 2022-23 season.
As per the testimonies of Dubs players and coaches, coach Deki had a very energetic and jolly persona. He liked to make things more lively and exciting in the locker room with his strong yet witty personality.
Head coach Steve Kerr talks about the tragic passing of coach Dejan Milojevic
Head coach Steve Kerr was deeply grieved by the passing of his colleague and assistant coach, Dejan Milojevic. A week after Coach Deki’s passing, Kerr spoke on this matter and thanked NBA Commissioner Adam Silver for affording the Warriors the time to mourn this moment of grief.
In a press conference earlier, Coach Kerr praised Deki for being an outright and straightforward coach without being harsh to the players. “Deki had an amazing way of being very direct and honest without threatening anyone,” revealed Kerr while describing his favorite memory of the late Serbian coach.
“Sometimes those coaches’ meetings can get contentious. We all had different ideas. And he always had a gleam in his eyes even when he was challenging us, especially when he was challenging us,” added Kerr, highlighting how Deki was never afraid of speaking his mind. Kerr concluded his statement on Milojevic, stating how the Warriors staff and players would miss the veteran coach’s bright presence dearly.
To honor Coach Deki, the Warriors have decided to wear a shirt with the word ‘Brate’ written on it. In Serbian, the word translates to ‘Brother’, something that Milojevic often used to refer to his peers during his time with the organization. The Warriors are determined to play their next game with the best of their capabilities, in memory of their departed coach Deki.
