Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr will be absent from the sidelines during the upcoming game against the Utah Jazz on Monday. Kerr’s absence is attributed to his attendance at the funeral of Dejan Milojevic, a former assistant coach of the Warriors, in Belgrade.
The funeral drew hundreds of mourners, including friends, family, and colleagues, who gathered to honor the late basketball coach. Images captured by TMZ depict Kerr standing solemnly in the rain as Milojevic was laid to rest.
Milojevic’s passing occurred nearly a month ago after he suffered a heart attack during a team dinner in Salt Lake City. Despite efforts, he succumbed to a fatal cardiac arrest on January 17. Kerr was joined at the funeral by former Warriors player Zaza Pachulia and general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr.
Additionally, reports indicate that Warriors’ player development coach Chris DeMarco and assistant coach Ron Adams were also in attendance. With Kerr absent, assistant coach Kenny Atkinson will assume coaching duties for the game against the Jazz.
Milojevic, a former basketball player turned NBA coach, had a notable career trajectory. Despite going undrafted in the 1999 NBA Draft, he found success playing basketball in Europe before joining the Warriors as an assistant coach in 2021. Milojevic celebrated his first NBA title with the team in 2022.
