Warriors prepare to return after devastating death of assistant coach Dejan Milojevic

The Golden State Warriors will resume their activities on Wednesday with a heavy heart, following the postponement of two games due to the tragic passing of assistant coach Dejan Milojevic last week.

Deki, a 46-year-old Serbian, tragically suffered a heart attack during a private team dinner in Utah on Tuesday. Despite the efforts to save his life, he passed away on Wednesday morning at the hospital in Salt Lake City.

This devastating loss has deeply affected the NBA community, with Warriors head coach Steve Kerr expressing his sorrow and emphasizing the impact on Deki's family.

Deki, who joined the coaching staff in 2021 and contributed to the team's victory in the 2022 NBA championship, leaves behind a wife and two children. The past few days have been filled with shock, emotions, and an overwhelming display of love from people all around the world, according to Kerr.

The team came together to watch a heartfelt tribute to Milojevic, held before a game in Belgrade between two of his former clubs. Kerr acknowledged that there is no guidebook for coping with such a profound loss, but the players and coaches have united to support each other and Deki's family.

Warriors center Kevon Looney fondly remembered Deki as a positive, joyful, and genuine individual who had a passion for teaching and sharing his knowledge. Prior to joining the Warriors, Deki served as the head coach for Buducnost in the Adriatic League in Montenegro during the 2021 season.

He also held the position of head coach for Mega Basket in Belgrade for eight seasons. In December 2019, he became an assistant coach for the Serbian national team under Igor Kokoskov.

Additionally, Deki had a successful 14-year international playing career and was honored as the Adriatic League Most Valuable Player three times from 2004 to 2006. The Warriors postponed their games against Utah and Dallas as a result of this tragedy and will resume their schedule by facing Atlanta in San Francisco on Wednesday.