Golden State Warriors assistant coach Dejan Milojevic dies

ANKARA – Former basketball player and Golden State Warriors assistant coach Dejan Milojevic from Serbia died Wednesday at 46, the seven-time NBA champions confirmed.

"We are absolutely devastated by Dejan Milojevic's sudden passing," the Warriors said on X.

"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.

"We grieve with and for his wife, Natasa, and their children, Nikola and Masa," the Western Conference franchise added.

In a statement, the Warriors said that Milojevic suffered "a heart attack at a private team dinner" in Salt Lake City, Utah on Tuesday night and was hospitalized.

The NBA postponed the Warriors' game at Utah Jazz which was to be played on Wednesday night.

The Serbian basketball body and one of his former clubs Galatasaray from Istanbul offered condolences to Milojevic's family and the basketball community.

He was a Galatasaray forward in the 2008-09 season.

In addition, the Belgrade native played for Serbia's Partizan and Spain's Valencia Basket.

Milojevic joined the Warriors staff in 2021 to win the 2022 NBA title in his first season with the team.

As a player, he helped Serbia, then FR Yugoslavia, win the EuroBasket title in 2001. (PNA)