Who was Bison Dele aka Brian Williams and what was the apparent reason behind his death? All you need to know

Bison Dele, who was born Brian Williams, was a professional basketball player in the NBA. He was one of the top prospects when he was drafted back in 1991. He was selected by the Orlando Magic in the first round as the 10th pick.

Despite being a talented young player, Dele still had to work his way up in the NBA. He achieved success when he won the championship with Michael Jordan and the 1996-97 Chicago Bulls. After adding one of the most prestigious achievements in the league to his résumé, Dele was able to secure a max contract with the Detroit Pistons.

Reaching the pinnacle of his career, ironically, brought about the beginning of his downfall. Brison Dele was involved in some heated altercations with his teammates, which made him decide to quit the league. A few years after retirement, he tragically passed away.

Let's take a closer look at who exactly Bison Dele was and how his tragic death came about.

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The sad story of Bison Dele

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Bison Dele, aka Brian Williams, was a traditional big man who could easily score on opponents, get rebounds, and deny shots. He played his role perfectly, and his playstyle was a perfect fit for the era.

Throughout his college basketball career, Dele averaged 12.4 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks. Standing at 6-foot-9, he was able to hang with the giants in the center position. Knowing that the NBA still revolved around plays that focused on getting the ball inside, Dele was a great addition to the league.

In the 1991 NBA draft, the Orlando Magic selected Brian Williams in the first round. During his rookie season, Williams didn't waste any time and dominated the paint. He averaged an efficient 9.1 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks per game in his first season.

During the next few seasons, the league witnessed Brian Williams' improvement as a big man. This was especially obvious when he played for the Los Angeles Clippers in the 1995-96 season. Before joining the Detroit Pistons in 1997, his Clippers campaign was the best basketball of his career. He ended up averaging 15.8 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 1.1 steals.

Brian Williams was aware of the contributions he made on the court that year to the point where it went to his head. After his Clippers run, Williams became a free agent. Initially, he wanted to sign with LA again. However, he asked for too much money. There are no specifics to how much he was asking for, but apparently, it was so much that no other teams wanted to sign him in 1996.

When the 1996-97 NBA season finally commenced, Williams didn't have a team. But right before the 1997 playoffs began, the Chicago Bulls called his number. He ended up playing a vital role in the 1997 NBA Finals as he was able to slightly contain Utah Jazz legend Karl Malone. Williams ended up winning his one and only ring with Michael Jordan and the Bulls.

From that point on, he asked the Detroit Pistons to give him a max contract. According to The Sportslite, Williams was expected to make $36.4 million. He finally got the contract he desired and ended up playing the best basketball of his life. In his first season with the Pistons, Bison averaged 16.2 points and 8.9 rebounds. His level of playing proved to be of equal value to his contract.

Unfortunately, in his final season, things started to become complicated for the big man. This was when he also changed his name from Brian Williams to Bison Dele to pay homage to his ancestors.

Now playing as Bison Dele, he ended up butting heads with the Pistons locker room. Tensions were high, and Dele wanted out. He shockingly quit the team and retired from the league for good. In fact, he even gave back the money he had already been paid by the organization.

No one knew much about his whereabouts after he quit the league until the news of his death broke. On July 6, 2002, Dele, his girlfriend Serena Karlan, and his brother Miles Dabord went on a sailing trip to Tahiti. Bison named his boat Hakuna Matata, after the song featured in the movie "The Lion King." What was supposed to be a joyful and luxurious trip turned into a dark tragedy instead.

Bison Dele's death will forever be a mystery as no one was able to secure the real story behind what happened. To keep the long story short, it appears that Miles Dabord killed his brother, his brother's girlfriend, and the ship's captain in order to steal Dele's wealth. Dabord was never charged.

What a tragic way to leave this earth. Rest in peace, Bison Dele.