Warriors Assistant Coach Dejan Milojević Dead At 46 After Heart Attack

SAN FRANCISCO — Golden State Warriors assistant coach Dejan Milojević died Wednesday morning after a heart attack the previous evening, the team announced.

Milojević, 46, was hospitalized Tuesday in Salt Lake City after he suffered a heart attack at a private team dinner, according to the Warriors.

“We are absolutely devastated by Dejan’s sudden passing,” Warriors Head Coach Steve Kerr said in a news release. “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.

“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.”

The NBA postponed Golden State's game that was to be played at Utah on Wednesday night. A rescheduled date was not immediately announced. The Jazz said tickets for Wednesday would be honored at the rescheduled game.

Milojević was in his third season as an assistant coach for the Warriors and was with the team during its 2022 NBA Championship run.

He previously served as the head coach of KK Budućnost in Montenegro’s Adriatic League and was head coach for KK Mega Basket in Belgrade. During his time in Serbia, he was a coach and mentor to two-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic.

A native of Belgrade, Milojević had a 14-year international playing career and was named the Adriatic League’s MVP three times.

"You were not only a basketball master, you were an amazing human being," Dylan Ennis, a longtime international pro who was coached by Milojević, wrote on Twitter. "You will be missed by so many."

Milojević is survived by his wife, Natasa, and their two children.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.