Warriors rookie Brandin Podziemski says late Dejan Milojevic ‘changed my life’

As Golden State is mourning the death of their assistant coach Dejan Milojevic, their game scheduled against the Jazz had to be postponed. This has given the Warriors organization the time to reflect on his passing away and celebrate the Serbian’s legacy as a basketball player and trainer. 

After suffering a heart attack on Wednesday night, the mentor to two-time MVP Nikola Jokic was rushed to the hospital but didn’t make it in time to save his life. The 46-year-old had been part of the staff that helped the Bay Area squad conquer the 2022 NBA championship and left a mark on many of their players.

Rookie Brandin Podziemski shared what an impact Milojevic had on his life only after a few months together. “You changed my life in such a short time,” he posted on social media. “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 guard Brandin Podziemski shared his condolences for assistant coach Dejan Milojević. pic.twitter.com/jJ7Ca7uhLo

— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) January 17, 2024

Dejan was in his third campaign in Golden State, a job he earned after years coaching clubs in Serbia and Montenegro, as well as an assistant for his national team alongside current Atlanta trainer Igor Kokoskov.

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

As for Steve Kerr, who had been delighted with having the Serbian icon in his coaching staff, couldn’t express how devastated his team felt after receiving the news.

“We are absolutely devastated by Dejan’s sudden passing,” he said in a statement. “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.”

The league still has no date for postponed matchup between Golden State and Utah after Milojevic’s heart attack

The NBA announced yesterday that the contest between Utah and Golden State will not be played after assistant coach Dejan Milojevic’s unfortunate heart attack. According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the new date for the regular-season matchup is not known as of yet.

This decision has given the Warriors organization the time to mourn the Serbian’s sudden death, which first started with a heart issue that allegedly occurred while the entire team was out having dinner together.

Milojevic was first known as a basketball legend back in Serbia, and is famous for scoring 141 points as a 14-year-old back in 1991. The story says that 83 of those points came in the game’s second half as his coach has ordered the youngster to take all the shots.

“I teach all my players that basketball is not a job, but that they should enjoy the game,” Dejan told the press back in 2018. “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.”