San Francisco Golden State Warriors and Atlanta Hawks joined together on one sideline near their benches to listen to the Serbian national anthem for Dejan Milojevic.
The Warrior players then placed an extra jersey on a coaching chair with a black T-shirt reading “BRATE”—or brother, as their coach called them. In Salt Lake City, Golden State played their first game after losing its beloved assistant coach last week.
After a heart attack at a team meal on Tuesday night, Milojević passed away the next day. The Warriors defeated the Hawks 134-112, with Stephen Curry and Jonathan Kuminga scoring 25 and Klay Thompson 24.
A big-screen dedication movie and Chase Center images showed a joyful “Deki,” as they called him. The Hawks had two players present when Steve Kerr spoke about Milojević's significant impact on all he met.
Bogdan Bogdanovic, a Belgrade native, played for Milojević's Paritzan squad before joining Atlanta. Hawks assistant coach Igor Kokoskov, once the Serbian national team coach, hired Milojević.
Kerr asked a standing ovation instead of a moment of quiet, providing love for Milojević′s wife, Natasa, and their children Masa and Nikola, who held a bouquet of flowers. Kerr cherished Milojević's smile and the capturing photographs of him.
“Perfect smile. "He always smiled and laughed," Kerr recalled. He died on Wednesday, postponing the Warriors' game against the Jazz and Friday's home game with Dallas. Practice resumed on Monday.
They wear patches with the coach's initials—DM—in a heart. Chase Center's court features the same logo. Just walking into the building without Deki on a gaming night is emotional.
Naturally, we're all wearing our shirts and there are photos of him smiling, Kerr added. Due to its rawness and surreality, it's emotional. The last several days have been spent practicing, so there's not much to say to prepare.
You dive in headlong, remain together, and win a basketball game to remember our brother.” Hawks coach Quin Snyder complimented Kerr for his fortitude and leadership at a terrible period and has been supporting both men.