Warriors Honour Coach Milojevic in Emotional First Game Since His Passing

The Golden State Warriors paid a poignant tribute to Dejan Milojevic on Wednesday night as the team resumed play for the first time since the Serbian assistant coach's recent passing from a heart attack.

In a touching pre-game ceremony before the Warriors' 134-112 home triumph over Atlanta, Golden State head coach Steve Kerr orchestrated an extended ovation to honor the 46-year-old affectionately known as "Deki."

Warriors players donned team jerseys adorned with Milojevic's name, and the Serbian national anthem played in tribute to the late coach. The players subsequently placed their jerseys on Milojevic's customary seat on the Warriors bench.

During warm-up, Warriors players also wore t-shirts with the term "Brate" – "brother" in Serbian. This gesture found resonance in Dallas, where Mavericks star Luka Doncic sported the same t-shirt before his team's encounter with Phoenix.

Kerr addressed the subdued crowd at Chase Center, stating, "The world lost a beautiful soul last week. Deki was a wonderful friend, a remarkable basketball coach, a great man, and, most importantly, a beautiful grandson, son, husband, and father.

"What he meant to us is a substantial part of our identity. He's ingrained in our soul. The overwhelming love we received this past week from all corners of the world is a direct testament to the joy and love he brought to everyone he encountered.

"So tonight, instead of a moment of silence, I'd like all of us to give Deki an ovation that he can hear up in heaven."

While several Warriors players seemed visibly moved during the tributes, with Klay Thompson and Draymond Green both holding back tears, the team rallied for a victory over Atlanta. Stephen Curry concluded with 25 points, Thompson contributed 24, and Jonathan Kuminga scored 25 off the bench with a flawless 11-of-11 shooting display.

Reflecting on the emotional occasion, Curry admitted, "It was challenging. It's been a very long week for everybody in our organisation, understanding how we wanted to honour and pay tribute to Deki and what he meant to our family.

"It's tough looking over at his chair. But coach challenged us to utilise all those emotions and get lost in the game. It was weird at first, but this is our sanctuary.

"We know Deki would like nothing more than to see us go out there and compete as best we can. It feels really good to get a win."

Milojevic, who played in Spain and Turkey as well as his homeland, where he commenced his coaching career, joined the Warriors as an assistant in 2021. He was part of the coaching staff during the team's NBA championship win in 2022.

He passed away last week after collapsing during a team dinner in Salt Lake City, leaving the Warriors and the NBA community in mourning.

For the remainder of the season, Warriors players will wear a patch featuring Milojevic's initials – "DM" – on their team jerseys. Additionally, a DM logo inside a heart will remain on the Warriors' home court for the rest of the season.