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“Losing A Member Of Our Family”: Stephen Curry Weeps Dejan Milojević’s Demise & Other Struggles as Warriors’ Emotional Season End

Published 04/17/2024, 6:33 AM EDT

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USA Today via Reuters

Stephen Curry took a trip down memory lane after an emotional exit from the season. The Golden State Warriors couldn’t cross the line after producing a miraculous comeback in the season. The Sacramento Kings applied their size advantage on the Dubs and had the better of them with a blowout 118-94 win in the Play-in eliminator game on Tuesday. Following the game, emotional Steph spoke about the team’s journey from the summer training camps to the regular season games, including the shocking demise of coach Deki.

During Steph’s last post-game press conference this season, a reporter asked him to run down on his journey this campaign. The superstar immediately addressed the camaraderie that the team maintained throughout the adversity. Following that, he went on to list the struggles they faced this season. Steph added, “It’s been an emotional rollercoaster for sure… Everything that we went through from some guys missing from time to time… losing a member of our family.” 

USA Today via Reuters

Stephen Curry referred to the sudden demise of the Dubs’ assistant coach Dejan Milojevic in January. The Serbian coach suffered a heart attack at a restaurant in Utah ahead of the game against the Utah Jazz. The league postponed two games, enabling the team to recover from the loss. Moreover, the team also held a ceremony at the Chase Center to pay respects to coach Deki. Apart from that, the team also donned a special patch ‘DM’ on their jersey for the rest of the season.

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Steph then referred to the constant injuries that the roster suffered throughout the season. Including Steph himself, the team remained without Chris Paul, Jonathan Kuminga, Gary Payton II, and several others for a stretch of games. And, Andrew Wiggins missed four straight games for personal reasons.

After addressing the tangible struggles that the team faced, he also addressed another intangible struggle. The team’s efforts to keep the legacy alive amid a struggling season.

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Stephen Curry speaks about the Dubs’ legacy

Continuing on the struggles the team faced this season, Steph spoke about staying relevant in the league. He added, “Looking up in the stands and trying to find a way to stay relevant.” The superstar referred to the four champion banners hanging in the rafters and pondered on relevancy struggle.

In the last 10 years, the Dubs emerged as the most successful franchise, winning 4 titles in 6 Finals. The Big 3 indeed became the dynasty and dominated the league over the last decade. However, the NBA world has recently considered the Dubs to be on life support with their poor run in the last two seasons. Steph & Co. will have a lot to answer in the upcoming season before the critics completely write off the dynasty.

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Nevertheless, Curry showed confidence in the young guns of the side and hinted at a strong comeback in the next season. He said, “We always kept our spirit… Kept the juices flowing in the right direction… Lept good energy and confidence in each other that’s hard to do  so I’m proud of that.”

Will Stephen Curry & Co. bounce back next season? Let us know in the comments.

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Written by:

Shahul Hameed

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Shahul Hameed is a Senior NBA Writer at EssentiallySports. Armed with a Master's Degree in journalism from a distinguished institute, his journey into sports writing began during his college days, and since then, Shahul has been captivated not only by the remarkable consistency of Stephen Curry but also by the enduring legacy of LeBron James. He specializes in covering the live basketball action.
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Edited by:

Shivatmika Manvi