View source for Bison Dele

{{Short description|American basketball player (1969–2002)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2021}}
{{Infobox basketball biography
| name         = Bison Dele
| image        = 
| width        =
| caption      = 
| height_ft    = 6
| height_in    = 10
| weight_lb    = 260
| birth_date   = {{birth date|1969|04|06}}
| birth_place  = [[Fresno, California]], U.S.
|module={{Infobox person
| birth_name      =
| child = yes
| disappeared_date   = {{Disappeared date and age|2002|07|07|1969|04|06}}
| disappeared_place  = [[Tahiti]], [[French Polynesia]]
| disappeared_status = {{Missing for|2002|07|07}}
}}
| high_school  = 
*[[Saint Monica Catholic High School|Saint Monica Catholic]]<br />([[Santa Monica, California]])
*[[Bishop Gorman High School|Bishop Gorman]]<br />([[Las Vegas, Nevada]])
| college      = 
*[[Maryland Terrapins men's basketball|Maryland]] (1987–1988)
*[[Arizona Wildcats men's basketball|Arizona]] (1988–1991)
| draft_year   = 1991
| draft_round  = 1
| draft_pick   = 10
| draft_team   = [[Orlando Magic]]
| career_start = 1991
| career_end   = 1999
| career_number   = 8, 18
| career_position = [[Center (basketball)|Center]] / [[power forward]]
| years1          = {{nbay|1991|start}}–{{nbay|1992|end}}
| team1           = [[Orlando Magic]]
| years2          = {{nbay|1993|start}}–{{nbay|1994|end}}
| team2           = [[Denver Nuggets]]
| years3          = {{nbay|1995|full=y}}
| team3           = [[Los Angeles Clippers]]
| years4          = {{nbay|1996|end}}
| team4           = [[Chicago Bulls]]
| years5          = {{nbay|1997|start}}–{{nbay|1998|end}}
| team5           = [[Detroit Pistons]]
| highlights   = 
* [[List of NBA champions|NBA champion]] ([[1997 NBA Finals|1997]])
* First-team [[List of All-Pac-12 Conference men's basketball teams|All-Pac-10]] (1991)
* Third-team [[Parade All-America Boys Basketball Team|''Parade'' All-American]] (1987)
* [[McDonald's All-American Game|McDonald's All-American]] ([[1987 McDonald's All-American Boys Game|1987]])
| stat1label    = [[Point (basketball)|Points]]
| stat1value    = 4,536 (11.0 ppg)
| stat2label    = [[Rebound (basketball)|Rebounds]]
| stat2value    = 2,564 (6.2 rpg)
| stat3label    = [[Block (basketball)|Blocks]]
| stat3value    = 355 (0.9 bpg)
| medal_templates = 
{{MedalSport | Men's [[basketball]]}}
{{MedalCountry|{{USA}}}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[FIBA Under-19 World Championship|FIBA U19 World Championship]]}}
{{MedalSilver| [[1987 FIBA Under-19 World Championship|1987 Bormio]] | [[United States national basketball team|Team competition]]}}
}}

'''Bison Dele''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|b|aɪ|s|ə|n|_|ˈ|d|ɛ|l|i}} {{respell|BYE|sən|_|DEL|ee}}; born '''Brian Carson Williams'''; April 6, 1969 – disappeared July 7, 2002) was an American professional [[basketball]] player who played [[center (basketball)|center]] for the [[National Basketball Association|NBA]]'s [[Orlando Magic]], [[Denver Nuggets]], [[Los Angeles Clippers]], [[Chicago Bulls]] and [[Detroit Pistons]]. Dele played [[college basketball]] for the [[Maryland Terrapins men's basketball|Maryland Terrapins]] from [[1987–88 Maryland Terrapins men's basketball team|1987–1988]] and for the [[Arizona Wildcats men's basketball|Arizona Wildcats]] from [[1988–89 Arizona Wildcats men's basketball team|1988]]–[[1990–91 Arizona Wildcats men's basketball team|1991]] before being selected by the Magic with the 10th overall pick in the [[1991 NBA draft]]. He won a [[NBA Finals|championship]] with the Bulls in [[1997 NBA Finals|1997]]. 

Dele is believed to have been [[Murder|murdered]] at sea by his older brother Miles Dabord in 2002.<ref name="espn">{{cite news | last = Keown | first = Tim | title = Paradise Lost | url = https://www.espn.com/magazine/vol5no21dele.html | access-date = October 19, 2013 | newspaper = ESPN The Magazine | date = October 3, 2002}}</ref> His girlfriend, Serena Karlan, and [[Skipper (of boat)|skipper]] Bertrand Saldo are also presumed to have been killed by Dabord, who later intentionally overdosed on insulin and died.

== Early life and NCAA career ==
Williams was born on [[Easter Sunday]], April 6, 1969,<ref>[http://tlarsen2.tripod.com/thomaslarsen/easterdates.html#List19 List of Easter Sunday Dates 1900–1999]</ref>  in [[Fresno]], [[California]], the second son of Patricia Phillips and of singer Eugene "Geno" Williams Jr. of the musical group [[The Platters]], who later divorced.<ref name="oag">{{Cite journal |author=Michael BeDan |author2=Brian D. Crecente |date=October 12, 2002 |title=Dearly Departed: The Relationship Between Bison Dele and Miles Dabord was Filled with Love, Jealousy – and Unanswered Questions (Sports) |url=https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-92959671.html |url-status=dead |journal=[[Rocky Mountain News]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924165304/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-92959671.html |archive-date=September 24, 2015 |via=HighBeam Research}}</ref> Patricia Phillips remarried and raised her two sons in Fresno until that marriage ended when Brian was in junior high.<ref name=SI>{{cite news | last = Ballard | first = Chris | title = Lost Soul | url = http://si.com/longform/bison-dele/ | access-date = October 25, 2013 | newspaper = Sports Illustrated | date = October 21, 2013}}</ref> He was of [[African-American]] descent.<ref name="herit">{{cite web | last1 = Rosenbaum | first1 = Cary | title = Ron Baker Is Native America's Next NBA Star | url = https://newsmaven.io/indiancountrytoday/archive/ron-baker-is-native-america-s-next-nba-star-yQtenp_7uk-m1c7SgJ1bYw/ | publisher = [[Indian Country Today]] | access-date = January 19, 2019 | date = January 17, 2017}}</ref><ref name="detroher">{{cite web | last1 = Holmes | first1 = Dan | title = Pistons' Dele died tragically 10 years ago | url = https://www.detroitathletic.com/blog/2012/11/26/pistons-dele-died-tragically-10-years-ago/ | publisher = Detroit Athletic Co. | access-date = January 19, 2019 | date = November 26, 2012}}</ref><ref name="nbanati">{{cite web | last1 = Cohen | first1 = Josh | title = Unsolved Basketball Dreams | url = https://www.nba.com/magic/cohen_unsolvedmystery_110811.html | website = NBA Media Ventures | publisher = [[NBA]] | access-date = January 19, 2019 | date = November 8, 2011}}</ref>

As a junior in high school, he attended [[Bishop Gorman High School]] in [[Las Vegas, Nevada]].<ref name="delelv">{{Cite news | last = Anderson | first = Mark | title = Ex-Bishop Gorman star Dele tells Pistons he plans to retire | url = https://lasvegassun.com/news/1999/oct/01/ex-bishop-gorman-star-dele-tells-pistons-he-plans-/ | newspaper = [[Las Vegas Sun]] | date = October 1, 1999}}</ref> He averaged 17.3 points, 12.7 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 2.5 steals and 9.1 blocks per game in his senior season, shooting 57.7% from the field.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://archive.org/details/universityof19871988unse|title=Maryland 87-88 Media Guide|publisher=[[University of Maryland, College Park]]|year=1987|page=31}}</ref> As a senior, he attended [[Saint Monica Catholic High School]] in [[Santa Monica, California]], where his jersey is retired.<ref name="Dabord autopsy">{{cite news | last = Pugmire | first = Lance | title = Dabord's Autopsy Released | url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2003-jan-30-sp-dabord30-story.html | access-date = June 28, 2011 | newspaper = Los Angeles Times | date = January 30, 2003}}</ref> He was a track and field runner, until a high school growth spurt pushed him towards basketball.<ref name=oag /><ref name=SI /> His [[college basketball|collegiate basketball]] career began at the [[University of Maryland, College Park|University of Maryland]], where he played for one year before sitting out the next season while transferring to the [[University of Arizona]].

== Professional career ==
After playing for two seasons at Arizona, Williams was drafted with the 10th pick in the first round of the [[1991 NBA draft]] by the [[Orlando Magic]]. He saw limited action during two seasons in Orlando.

After playing for Orlando, Williams joined the [[Denver Nuggets]], for whom he played two seasons. In [[1993–94 NBA season|1993–94]], he played a career-high 80 games and averaged 8.0 points per game. Williams then played one year for the [[Los Angeles Clippers]], earning increased playing time and averaging 15.8 points per game. Due to a contract dispute and reports that Williams' asking price was too high, he could not find a team at the beginning of the [[1996–97 NBA season|1996–97]] season, sitting out most of the season. He was then signed by the [[Chicago Bulls]] nine games before the end of the season and became an important backup player in the Bulls' run to their fifth championship. Williams finished his career playing two seasons with the [[Detroit Pistons]], where he set career highs of 16.2 points and 8.9 rebounds per game in [[1997–98 NBA season|1997–98]].

In 1998, he changed his name to Bison Dele to honor his [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] (Cherokee)<ref name=SI /> and [[Ethnic groups of Africa|African]] ancestry, and played his final season under that name.

=== Retirement ===
Dele suddenly retired from the NBA before the start of the [[1999–2000 NBA season|1999–2000]] season at age 30, when he was still in the prime of his career. He had been the Pistons' highest-paid player, but had strained relationships with the organization and decided to walk away from the remaining five years and US$36.45 million on his contract rather than be traded.<ref>{{cite news | agency = The Associated Press | title = Pistons' Dele Retires | url = https://www.cbsnews.com/news/pistons-dele-retires/ | work = CBS News | date = October 22, 1999 | access-date = September 29, 2007}}</ref> It has also been theorized he had never been especially passionate about playing basketball and felt he had earned enough money to allow him to walk away from the professional game and lifestyle.<ref name=oag />

== Personal life ==
Dele reportedly dated [[Madonna (entertainer)|Madonna]] at one point in his career.<ref name=espn /><ref>{{Cite web | url = https://www.nba.com/magic/cohen_unsolvedmystery_110811.html | title = Cohen: An Unsolved Mystery | website = Orlando Magic}}</ref> He played the saxophone, violin and trumpet, enjoyed adventure travel, and earned a [[pilot's license]]. After his retirement he spent long periods traveling to [[Lebanon]], the Mediterranean, and the Australian outback before learning to sail and purchasing a [[catamaran]].<ref name=SI />

==Disappearance==
On July 6, 2002, Dele sailed from [[Tahiti]] on his [[catamaran]], the ''Hukuna Matata'' (a misspelling of the [[Swahili language|Swahili]] phrase ''[[hakuna matata]]'').<ref name=SI /> He was joined by his girlfriend, Serena Karlan, his brother, Miles Dabord (born Kevin Williams), and [[Skipper (of boat)|skipper]] Bertrand Saldo. Dabord was the only person involved in the voyage who was seen or heard from after July 8, 2002, when the last of four satellite phone calls from the voyage was made.<ref name=SI /> Dele and Karlan had previously kept regular contact with their banks and family members. On July 20, Dabord brought the boat into Tahiti; he was alone aboard the vessel.<ref>{{cite news | author = The Associated Press | title = Witnesses say Dele's brother brought boat in alone | url = http://static.espn.go.com/nba/news/2002/0915/1432129.html | work = ESPN | date = September 15, 2002 | access-date = September 29, 2007}}</ref>

On September 6, 2002, police used a [[sting operation]] organized by Dele's family and friends to detain Dabord in [[Phoenix, Arizona|Phoenix]]. Dabord had [[forgery|forged]] Dele's signature in order to open mailboxes in his name,<ref name="nzh">{{cite news |last1=Bingham |first1=Eugene |date=September 26, 2003 |title=Mystery NZ woman link to mid-sea triple killing |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/mystery-nz-woman-link-to-mid-sea-triple-killing/6J7QWIE3B5FUCS4X6NOBRV5DVI/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210516114754/https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/mystery-nz-woman-link-to-mid-sea-triple-killing/6J7QWIE3B5FUCS4X6NOBRV5DVI/ |archive-date=May 16, 2021 |access-date=November 10, 2023 |work=[[The New Zealand Herald]]}}</ref> and to buy US$152,000 worth of gold under his brother's name, using Dele's [[passport]] as identification.<ref name="departed">{{cite news |author=Michael Bedan |author2=Brian D. Crecente |date=October 12, 2002 |title=Dearly Departed |url=http://denver.rockymountainnews.com/dele/index.shtml |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930220248/http://denver.rockymountainnews.com/dele/index.shtml |archive-date=September 30, 2007 |access-date=September 29, 2007 |work=[[Rocky Mountain News]]}}</ref> Mexican police later found that Dabord had been staying at a hotel in [[Tijuana]], [[Mexico]]. Two days before, the ''Hukuna Matata'', which had been registered in Tahiti under another name, was found off the coast of Tahiti with its name plate removed and some possible bullet holes patched. About the same time, Dabord phoned his mother, Patricia Phillips, telling her that he would never hurt Dele and that he could not survive in prison.<ref>{{cite news | author = The Associated Press | title = Ex-NBA star Dele, girlfriend missing in Pacific | url = http://static.espn.go.com/nba/news/2002/0911/1430715.html | work = ESPN | date = September 12, 2002 | access-date = September 29, 2007}}</ref>

The [[Federal Bureau of Investigation|FBI]] and French authorities became involved in the investigation, found that Dabord bought about $200 of weights and was suspected of using them to weigh down the bodies,<ref name=nzh/> and concluded that Dele, Karlan and Saldo were probably murdered and then thrown overboard by Dabord, the weights along with other [[Evidence (law)|evidence]] suggesting that Dabord had [[Premeditated murder|planned the murders]].<ref name=nzh/> Given that the bodies were likely dumped in the middle of the [[Pacific Ocean]], it would be highly unlikely that the three would ever be found.<ref name=oag /><ref name=departed />

Dabord, the only first-person source of information regarding the case, intentionally overdosed on [[insulin (medication)|insulin]] and slipped into a [[coma]]. On September 27, 2002, Dabord died in a California hospital. In his account of events, Dabord said he and his brother had fought, and that Karlan had been accidentally hit and died when her head struck part of the boat. When Saldo wanted to report her death, a panicked Dele killed him; Dabord then shot his brother in [[self-defence|self-defense]], threw the bodies overboard and subsequently fled back to the U.S.<ref name=SI /> Special Agent John Steiner, the FBI supervisor on the case, related that the forensic team examining the boat had not found any evidence to support Dabord's story and that "There's just no way it could have happened like that."<ref name=nzh/> It is not conclusively known that Dabord's story is false, but the story would not explain why Dabord bought weights, why he allegedly threw all three bodies overboard, why there were patched holes conforming with bullet holes in the boat, why he used his brother's identity, and why he subsequently purposely overdosed on insulin instead of explaining to authorities what had happened, if the story was true. After Dabord's death, officials did not expect to find much more regarding the case. A memorial service was then held for both Dele and Dabord.

The brothers were frequently at odds with each other. A crew member had left the boat because he found the brothers’ fighting unbearable.<ref name=nzh/> After Dabord's death, his lawyer and lifelong friend, Paul White, was questioned regarding Dabord but was somewhat evasive and gave little information about what happened.<ref name=departed />

== See also ==
* [[List of people who disappeared at sea]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* [https://tvcrimesky.com/2019/07/24/bison-dele-serena-karlan-watch-dark-waters-murder-in-the-deep-screams-in-the-south-pacific-documentary/1697 TV Crime Sky News Dark Waters Murder In The Deep]
* [http://static.espn.go.com/nba/news/2002/0909/1429635.html ESPN: Former Piston Bison Dele reported to be missing at sea]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20050520204408/http://cbsnews.cbs.com/stories/2002/09/20/national/main522665.shtml CBS News: Cops believe ex-NBA player was slain]
* [http://static.espn.go.com/magazine/vol5no21dele.html ESPN: Paradise Lost]
* [http://investigation.discovery.com/tv/disappeared/the-missing/serena-karlan.html Investigation Discovery: Disappeared (Season 1)] The story centers around Bison's girlfriend Serena but he's a big part of the documentary.
* [https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/d/delebi01.html Bison Dele's statistics]

{{1991 NBA draft}}
{{Chicago Bulls 1996–97 NBA champions}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dele, Bison}}
[[Category:1969 births]]
[[Category:2000s missing person cases]]
[[Category:2002 deaths]]
[[Category:20th-century African-American sportsmen]]
[[Category:20th-century American sportsmen]]
[[Category:21st-century African-American sportsmen]]
[[Category:21st-century American sportsmen]]
[[Category:American men's basketball players]]
[[Category:American people who self-identify as being of Cherokee descent]]
[[Category:Arizona Wildcats men's basketball players]]
[[Category:Basketball players from Fresno, California]]
[[Category:Basketball players from Los Angeles]]
[[Category:Bishop Gorman High School alumni]]
[[Category:Centers (basketball)]]
[[Category:Chicago Bulls players]]
[[Category:Denver Nuggets players]]
[[Category:Detroit Pistons players]]
[[Category:Los Angeles Clippers players]]
[[Category:Maryland Terrapins men's basketball players]]
[[Category:McDonald's High School All-Americans]]
[[Category:Missing American people]]
[[Category:Native American basketball players]]
[[Category:Orlando Magic draft picks]]
[[Category:Orlando Magic players]]
[[Category:Parade High School All-Americans (boys' basketball)]]
[[Category:People declared dead in absentia]]
[[Category:People lost at sea]]
[[Category:Native American people from California]]