Nikola Vučević will always remember Dejan Milojević for his positive attitude.
The Chicago Bulls center didn't meet Milojević in person until he joined the Golden State Warriors as an assistant coach in 2021. However, Vučević grew up with Milojević as an influential figure in his basketball education, first as a player and then as a coach and mentor to the next generation of Serbian stars.
Milojević passed away. at age 46 after experiencing a heart attack during a team dinner in Salt Lake City on Tuesday night. The NBA postponed the Warriors' games on Wednesday against the Utah Jazz and Friday against the Dallas Mavericks to allow the team proper time to grieve.
For Vučević, Milojević leaves behind a legacy of playing, coaching, and leading with a positive energy that was evident to those who knew him.
"He just exudes great energy," Vučević said on Thursday. "I felt like I'd known him for a long time. It's a very tragic loss for basketball, especially for basketball back home."
Milojević's playing career spanned from 1994 to 2009, during which he was a three-time MVP of the Adriatic Basketball Association, the top league in the former Yugoslavian republics. He represented Serbia and Slovenia internationally, earning a gold medal with Serbia at the 2001 EuroBasket tournament.
Vučević described the respect Milojević earned by performing better than expected given his 6-foot-7 height as an undersized big man, outmuscling taller players to dominate the Euroleague on the boards.
"He was a fierce competitor," Vučević stated. "He played with a lot of intensity. Being an undersized power forward or center, he compensated for it with his intelligence and effort."
Following his retirement as a player, Milojević became a prominent coach in Serbia, renowned for his guidance of two-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokić. He took over as coach of Mega Vizura in 2012 and sent 11 players to the NBA draft over the next eight seasons before joining Steve Kerr's Warriors staff. He also served as an assistant coach for the Serbian national team from 2019-21.
Vučević mentioned that he got in touch with Jokić, as well as Oklahoma City Thunder guard Vasilije Micić and Miami Heat forward Nikola Jović, who also had connections with Milojević from Mega, to check in on Wednesday.
"I know many of them are deeply affected," Vučević remarked. "I know it's not easy. It's really hit the younger guys who came up with him deeply."
Milojević's death overshadowed the Bulls' 116-110 victory on Thursday night against the Toronto Raptors, whose head coach, Darko Rajaković, was a longtime friend of Milojević.
Rajaković fought back tears before and after Wednesday's game against the Heat while discussing Milojević's impact on Serbian basketball. He created a play after a timeout in the first quarter that he affectionately referred to as "borrowed" from his friend.
"I've known Dejan since I was a teenager," Rajaković shared with reporters. "He was a role model as a player, a man, a husband, and a coach — someone I truly admired and respected. This is a very sad day for the entire NBA community."
()
