Golden State Warriors Coach Dejan Milojevic Dies at 46, Team Says

Golden State Warriors assistant coach Dejan Milojevic prior to the game against the Phoenix Suns at Footprint Center in Phoenix on Nov. 22, 2023. (Mark J. Rebilas/USA TODAY Sports via Reuters)

A Golden State Warriors assistant coach, Dejan Milojevic, died after suffering a medical emergency in Salt Lake City, the team said. He was 46 years old.

The NBA team said Mr. Milojevic’s cause of death was a heart attack. He was hospitalized on Tuesday night after the medical emergency occurred during a team dinner as the Warriors were slated to play the Utah Jazz, and the coach died “despite life-saving” measures,” the statement said.

“We are absolutely devastated by Dejan’s sudden passing,” coach Steve Kerr said in the team’s statement on Wednesday. “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.”

Mr. Kerr added: “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.”

The assistant coach, a native of Serbia, was hired by Golden State in 2021, helping the team win a championship in 2022. Previously, he was a professional player in Turkey, Spain, Montenegro, and Serbia, winning three MVP awards in the Adriatic League.

In a statement, the NBA said it would postpone the Warriors-Jazz game after Mr. Milojevic’s death.

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“The NBA mourns the sudden passing of Golden State assistant coach Dejan Milojevic, a beloved colleague and dear friend to so many in the global basketball community,” NBA commissioner Adam Silver said.

“In addition to winning the 2022 NBA championship in his first season with the Warriors and mentoring some of the best players in the world, Dejan had a decorated international playing career and was a distinguished head coach in his native Serbia,” the statement added. “Our heartfelt condolences go out to his wife, Natasa, their children, Nikola and Masa, and the Warriors organization during this tragic time.”

Before joining the Warriors, Milojevic had prior NBA experience through Summer League assistant-coach stints with Atlanta, San Antonio, and Houston.

Tributes began pouring in after Milojevic’s death was announced, including from the Spanish club Valencia, where he spent two seasons. “The Club wants to send his family a lot of encouragement and strength in these difficult times and convey all our support to them,” read Valencia’s statement.

Reports said he also coached Nikola Jokic in Serbia long before the Denver Nuggets star led his team to an NBA championship last year. Mr. Jokic responded to news of his death by saying, “Rest in Peace. Condolences to the family.”

Kings coach Mike Brown issued a statement mourning his death.

“I am absolutely heartbroken by Dejan’s passing. I had the pleasure of working with Dejan during my time with the Warriors. Not only was he an extremely talented coach, he was an even better person. I join the entire basketball community in grieving his loss. My thoughts are with his wife, Natasa, and their children, Nikola and Masa,” Mr. Brown said.

“I teach all my players that basketball is not a job, but that they should enjoy the game,” Mr. Milojevic told a Bosnian radio-television outlet, RTV, during a 2018 interview, reported The Associated Press. “Because if you want to do something for the next 20 years, then you have to love it a lot. It’s not easy to endure all these efforts if you don’t like something. Only those who have a sincere love for the game can handle everything with great success.”

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported that Warriors team staff stayed at the Utah hospital until late Tuesday and returned early Wednesday.

The NBA statement did not schedule a new date for the Warriors-Jazz game and would be postponed to a “later time.”

Other details about his death were not immediately provided.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.