In an unfortunate turn of events, the NBA made an announcement on Thursday regarding the postponement of the game between the Golden State Warriors and the Dallas Mavericks, which was originally scheduled for Friday. The reason behind this unexpected change is the heartbreaking loss of the Warriors’ assistant coach, Dejan Milojević.
Milojević tragically passed away on Wednesday at the age of 46, after being hospitalized on Tuesday due to a heart attack. This devastating news not only resulted in the cancellation of the Warriors’ game against the Utah Jazz in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, but it has now also affected the upcoming match against the Mavericks.
The basketball community mourns the loss of Milojević and extends their condolences to the Warriors organization during this difficult time. The NBA family stands together in supporting the affected teams and all those impacted by this sudden tragedy.
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Milojević had a successful career as a professional basketball player in Serbia before transitioning into coaching in 2012. He spent several years as the head coach for Mega Basket, from 2012 to 2020, and then took on the role as head coach of Budućnost in 2021. His impressive coaching skills caught the attention of Golden State Warriors head coach, Steve Kerr, who brought him on as an assistant in August 2021.
During his coaching stint in Serbia, Milojević had the opportunity to work with talented players who later achieved great success in the NBA. One notable example is Nikola Jokić, the star center for the Denver Nuggets and a two-time NBA MVP, according to ESPN.
In his debut season as an assistant coach under Kerr, Milojević celebrated a remarkable achievement – winning an NBA championship with the Warriors in 2022.
In the previous season, the Dubs successfully made it to the playoffs once again, thanks in part to Milojević’s contributions as a valued member of the team. They managed to defeat the Sacramento Kings in the opening round, but unfortunately lost to their rival, the Los Angeles Lakers, in the following round.
However, the current season has been a struggle for the Golden State Warriors. With an 18-22 start, they find themselves in 12th place in the highly competitive Western Conference. They are currently two games behind the Lakers, who currently hold the last spot in the play-in tournament for the postseason.
Their recent game on Monday against the Memphis Grizzlies resulted in a disappointing loss, marking their fourth defeat in the past five games. The NBA has yet to announce the rescheduled dates for the Warriors’ postponed games against the Jazz and Mavericks. The team’s upcoming scheduled game is set to be held at their home court against the Atlanta Hawks on January 24th.