Mourning to Dejan Milojević’s Demise Continues As NBA’s Latest Gesture Gives Warriors Family Further Time To Heal

The Golden State Warriors assistant coach, Dejan Milojević, untimely passed away at the age of 46 on Wednesday morning. After sustaining a heart attack during Tuesday’s team dinner in Utah, he was hospitalized before passing away despite “life-saving efforts.” The death of the assistant coach, who had been a part of the team since 2021, came as a huge shock to the Warriors family.

Therefore, in the wake of his sudden death, the league is providing the team with more time to heal and grieve the loss, as they have also postponed Friday’s Golden State Warriors-Dallas Mavericks game, as reported by Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium.

The game that was scheduled for Jan. 19, 10:00 p.m. ET at the Chase Center will now be rescheduled to a later date that is yet to be revealed by the league, as per the press release issued by the NBA on Thursday. ESPN will now only telecast the Brooklyn Nets vs. the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday night.

This is the second time this week that the NBA has postponed a matchup. The game between the Golden State Warriors and Utah Jazz, which was scheduled for Jan. 17, was also moved “due to a medical emergency in the Warriors family.”

Some things are bigger than basketball. Therefore, it is only fitting that the Warriors take time off as they mourn the loss of their beloved assistant coach, who propelled them to a championship (2022) in just his first season. However, his influence transcended beyond his team, as evidenced by the heartfelt condolences pouring in from the basketball community.

The NBA community unites to mourn the loss of the late Dejan Milojević

The teams held moments of silence on Wednesday before commencing their games to pay tribute to the late Serbian coach. Steve Kerr, the Warriors head coach, said in a statement that Milojević’s passing is a “shocking and tragic blow for everyone associated with the Warriors and incredibly difficult time for his family, friends, and all of us who had the incredible pleasure to work with him.”

Adam Silver also conveyed his “heartfelt condolences” in a statement on behalf of the league.

The Denver Nuggets also expressed their grief over the untimely demise of the 46-year-old coach.

Golden State Warriors rookie Brandin Podziemski reflected on how he had changed his life in such a short span of time. He fondly recalled the valuable words of the late coach, “The most important thing you ever told me was to just smile! Your joy and laughs will forever be missed. Shine down on us from heaven.”

Warriors’ former assistant and current Sacramento Kings coach Mike Brown raved about his innate nature: “Not only was he an extremely talented coach, he was an even better person.”

Read More: Lakers, Celtics, and Other NBA Teams Honor Warriors’ Dejan Milojevic With Special Gesture After Sudden Demise

Tributes from rival teams, coaches, and players demonstrate that, in moments like these, the shared bond of humanity transcends the competitive spirit of the sport.

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