The Warriors are grieving.
The franchise saw two of its matchups postponed last week after former assistant coach Dejan Milojevic died of a heart attack while attending a private team dinner.
Head coach Steve Kerr returned to the pulpit to lead media availability for the first time since Milojevic’s passing. In his presser, he expressed grief about Milojevic’s death while also acknowledging his appreciation that the NBA opted to alter Golden State’s schedule in light of the beloved coach’s sudden passing.
MORE: What happened to Dejan Milojevic?
“It’s the saddest thing I’ve ever been a part of in the NBA,” Kerr said. “Where we lose someone so close to us and then, more importantly, seeing his family suffer.”
Steve Kerr explained the “heartbreaking” and “devastating” past week since assistant coach Dejan Milojević’s death pic.twitter.com/kVXUnA60Hj
— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) January 22, 2024
Kerr offered condolences and admiration for Milojevic, a stalwart in the European game who helped form one of the league’s greatest talent pipelines while helming Mega Basket in Belgrade. Kerr rocked a t-shirt with the word “Brate” on it in honor of Milojevic. “Brate” is the Serbian word for “brother.”
Milojevic was a giant in the world of Eurobasket, capturing three straight ABA MVPs while a member of Partizan. An undersized forward who towered over his opposition once the ball caromed off the glass, Milojevic was said to play a bit like Charles Barkley. He tended to turn up his production on the sport’s biggest stages, averaging 20.8 points per game (on 63 percent efficiency!) during Partizan’s 2004-05 EuroLeague run.
MORE: How Raptors’ Darko Rajakovic paid tribute to Dejan Milojevic
Milojevic’s legacy — both as a player and a coach — swirls through Serbian basketball’s lineage. It was on display during last weekend’s contest between Mega Basket and Partizan. In the game, Milojevic — affably known as ‘Deki’ — was immortalized in a Tifo which swayed along the concourses at Partizan’s Stark Arena.
Partizan Belgrade fans pic.twitter.com/he3UP4CBCH
— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) January 22, 2024
Kerr said he and the Warriors watched on as such ceremonies took place. They reaffirmed Milojevic’s standing in the sport, all while offering a new glimpse of just how far the game’s reach can stretch.
“We watched as a team this morning the event that they had in Serbia,” Kerr said, referencing the matchup. “I’m not sure I’ve ever seen anything like the pregame dedication from the fans and organizations there to Deki.
“We got a better sense of just what Deki meant to his countrymen.”
MORE: Basketball world mourns loss of Warriors assistant Dejan Milojevic
Kerr said his team was in dire straits following Milojevic’s passing. He thanked NBA commissioner Adam Silver for giving the Warriors a chance to get their minds right after postponing the Dubs’ matchups against Utah and Dallas last week.
“We needed [the break],” Kerr said. “There’s no way any of us could’ve walked out onto a court and played a basketball game either Wednesday or Friday.”
It’s only the beginning of the journey to healing for Kerr and the rest of Golden State, but he takes solace in the fact that Deki would be telling his players to go on, all while providing that signature ear-to-ear grin that warmed the heart of even the most intense player.
“I literally could picture Deki smiling and laughing and saying, ‘You m— need to go win a basketball game.’ And then laughing,” Kerr said.