Golden State Warriors Pay Emotional Tribute to Late Assistant Coach Dejan Milojević

In a deeply emotional night at the Chase Center in San Francisco, the Golden State Warriors paid tribute to their beloved assistant coach, Dejan Milojević, who passed away on January 17 due to a heart attack suffered during a team dinner.

The Warriors returned to the court for the first time since Milojević’s passing, having postponed multiple games as the organization mourned the loss of their esteemed coach.

Shortly before the game’s tipoff, the arena presented a touching video tribute to Milojević, evoking visible emotions from both the players and Milojević’s family, who were in attendance.

The heartfelt homage featured video footage of Milojević actively coaching Warriors players during practices and games, along with interviews with players and coaches. Head coach Steve Kerr spoke fondly in the tribute, saying, “He always just had a gleam in his eye and a laugh, and he just constantly saw the good in people and the joy in life.”

Toronto Raptors head coach Darko Rajaković, recalling Milojević as “always having a smile on his face,” and another Warriors assistant coach echoed the sentiment, describing Milojević as a constant source of joy for the team and the city.

The tribute also included footage from a past interview with Milojević, expressing the joy he felt watching his players develop on the court. “I really love my job,” he shared.

Stars of the Warriors, including Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green, were visibly moved during the tribute, embracing one another and shedding tears as they celebrated Milojević’s life.

Despite the emotional weight of the evening, the Warriors managed to shift their focus to basketball and secured a victory over the Atlanta Hawks with a final score of 134-112.

Milojević, a long-time coach and former player, passed away at a Salt Lake City area hospital the morning after suffering a heart attack during a private dinner ahead of the Warriors’ game against the Utah Jazz, according to a statement posted on X.

Warriors head coach Steve Kerr expressed deep sorrow at the time, describing Milojević as not only a terrific basketball coach but also “one of the most positive and beautiful human beings I have ever known.” Milojević was in his third season as an assistant coach with the Warriors and had contributed to the team’s 2022 NBA championship victory. 

Before joining the Warriors, he served as the head coach for KK Budućnost in Montenegro and KK Mega Basket in Belgrade, Serbia, for eight seasons, as noted in the Warriors media guide.