South African basketball suffered a tragic loss when leading coach and former Serbian national player Nikola Jokanovic died while coaching his team in a Premier Basketball League (PBL) match in Johannesburg on Sunday.

Jokanovic, who was the player coach of Tshwane Suns, collapsed in a dressing room shortly after leading his side off the court in the match against the Olympians, the Basketball South Africa (BSA) said in a statement.

Efforts by medics to revive him failed and he was declared dead by medical staff.

BSA President and PBL vice chairman Vusi Mgobhozi expressed his shock at the death of Jokanovic and conveyed his condolences to his family, friends and the Serbian community in South Africa.

Tshwane Suns' Dion Karagiannis said that his team lost more than a coach in Jokanovic.

"He was passionate about basketball and lived for the game. We want to express our heartfelt condolences to everyone who were associated with Nikola," Karagiannis said.