By Eurohoops Team/ info@eurohoops.net
The basketball world was stunned by the sudden passing of Serbian coach and Golden State assistant, Dejan Milojevic.
The Warriors played their first game at Chase Center since the tragic event and defeated the Atlanta Hawks 134-112 in a night fully devoted to Milojevic.
All the players wore specially designed t-shirts in the pregame warm-ups with Milojevic’s initials and the word “brate,” which is Serbian for “brother.”
In Milojevic’s honor, the Serbian National Anthem was played before the game, and the Golden State players paid tribute to Dejan with jerseys bearing his surname during the pregame. The jerseys were then placed on his usual seat on the bench.
Steve Kerr gave an emotional speech before the tip-off.
“The world lost a beautiful soul last week. Deki was a wonderful friend, a hell of a basketball coach, a great man, and most importantly, a beautiful grandson, son, husband, and father. The smile, the joy, the laughter – it was ever-present. And what he meant to us was a huge part of who we are – he’s a part of our soul. Rather than a moment of silence, I’d like you to join me in honoring Deki and his beautiful family… I’d like for all of us to give Deki an ovation that he can hear up in heaven,” Kerr said before the entire Chase Center applauded the late Serbian.
As for the match, Jonathan Kuminga had a perfect night with 25 points, nine rebounds, two steals, and two blocks, shooting 11/11 from the field. He tied Chris Mullin for the most shots without a miss in franchise history and became the only player with those numbers in the 21st century.
Regarding the European players, Dario Saric had 10 points with three rebounds and assists for the winning side, while Milojevic’s compatriot and the Serbian national team captain Bogdan Bogdanovic finished with 17 points for the Hawks. Clint Capela added a double-double with 11 points and rebounds.