Basketball world mourns the loss of Dejan Milojevic: 'He never chased money' / News - Basketnews.com

Nikola Jokic said in 2022, he would like to be like Milojevic. With the sudden passing of the Serbian coach, the basketball world reacted, sending their condolences and remembering Milojevic for who he was on and off the court.

Credit: Buducnost VOLI Credit Buducnost VOLI

The sudden passing of the Golden State Warriors assistant coach, Dejan Milojevic, put a hold on the NBA. The Warriors' game was postponed, while the rest of the league shared condolences for the loss of a great man.

"Like everyone else in Serbia, we couldn't believe the news. The guy was a beast and always positive," Bogdan Bogdanovic said. "Everyone remembers him as a guy that when you complained to him, he was never the guy who complained first, but if you complained to him, he would always say, 'Hey, just laugh, man, you only live once.' He was always saying that. Seeing how much of an impact he had... it's a sad thing to see how much impact he had on players around the world."

"I'll never forget - he never chased a career. He was a great player, but he never chased his career, and he always wanted to have a family lifestyle with his family and his kids in good cities, he never chased money," Bogdanovic continued. "I feel that's a great example for everyone to live a life [by]. He was saying he believed if you don't like your life, there's no way you can perform, but you can't maximize your potential if you're not happy in your life. Sometimes people value jobs and some other stuff more. A very sad day."

Milojevic was a professional player who spent more than a decade in Europe, competing for multiple seasons in the Euroleague, the continent's top tournament. He played for Buducnost Podgorica and Partizan Belgrade in the Euroleague, averaging 12 points and 7.2 rebounds per game. Alongside Buducnost, he also represented Valencia Basket in the EuroCup.

After a successful playing career, Milojevic began coaching. His first professional gig was at Mega Basket, a Serbian team in the ABA League famous for developing young talent. During that time, he coached the current NBA MVP, Nikola Jokic.

"I have known him for a long time, and it is not worth repeating myself. A perfect man, positive, when I grow up, I would like to be like Deki," Jokic said in 2022.

After coaching in Mega Basket, Milojevic went to the NBA to assist head coach Steve Kerr in the Golden State Warriors. The Serbian specialist won the NBA title in 2022.

"We are absolutely devastated by Dejan's sudden passing. 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. In addition to being a terrific basketball coach, Dejan was one of the most positive and beautiful human beings I have ever known, someone who brought joy and light to every single day with his passion and energy. We grieve with and for his wife, Natasa, and their children, Nikola and Masa. Their loss is unfathomable," Kerr said in a statement by the Warriors.

The sudden passing of Milojevic, 46, put things into perspective for Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla.

"It just puts things in perspective that it can all be gone in a second. As important as our job is and as serious as it is and how people think it's life and death, it's really not. It's a really fun opportunity and something that we get to do. When something like that happens, it's scary," he said. "It puts things into another perspective. You have to value the time and the relationships, and the opportunity that we get, because you don't know how long you'll be able to do it. I was definitely really hurt by that. As a coach, even thinking something like that can happen to one of your coaches, players, friends, family is tough."

The messages poured in from all over the basketball world, with the NBA, the EuroLeague, and the ABA League releasing statements following Milojevic's passing. Multiple players and clubs expressed their condolences.

"He was a true fighter and an exemplary man. Someone whose character was emulated by many kids who later became new basketball idols," Partizan's president, Ostoja Mijaiilovic, communicated.

"An incredible man, an incredible teammate, an incredible coach, an incredible friend, an incredible father and husband... A broad smile that immediately disarmed everyone at the start," Buducnost said in a statement.

"He was an unbelievable person. It's really unfair what happened," Zalgiris Kaunas head coach, Andrea Trinchieri, said.

"Even the greatest fighters sometimes leave," Partizan stated.

Basketball world's reaction to Milojevic's passing:

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