Mike Malone was among the first to learn about the passing of Dejan Milojevic, and he explained in carefully chosen words how he received the tragic news.
The American coach and current NBA champion said that Steve Kerr contacted him. In what was likely a very difficult phone call, the Golden State Warriors coach conveyed that the departed coach had a strong affection for Nikola Jokic.
“Dejan was a close friend of Nikola Jokic and Ognjen Stojakovic, as well as the Serbian basketball community… He meant a lot to many. He left behind a huge legacy, influencing numerous lives. Tragically, he was young. When we found out he was in the hospital, I reached out to Steve Kerr, who was there with Dejan and his family; he got back to me immediately. When Dejan passed away, I received a message from Steve; he wanted us to know how much Dejan loved Nikola and how proud he was of him, and I tried to share that with Nikola,” said Mike Malone.
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