Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

Friends recall an eccentric

The disappearance of former NBA center Bison Dele has gone from curious to serious amid growing concern among his friends, acquaintances and former teammates and coaches.

Dele, who played one season at Bishop Gorman as Brian Williams, and girlfriend Serena Karlan reportedly were sailing his 55-foot catamaran from Moorea, Tahiti, to Honolulu, but haven't been seen since July 8 when the boat left Moorea.

"I was pretty shocked when I heard about it," said Mike Adras, head basketball coach at Northern Arizona and Dele's high school coach at Gorman. "That's just very scary. You can only hope that it's not as tragic as it sounds.

"I don't think too many people fall off the face of the earth, with Internet capabilities now and other things. You can only pray for the families that are concerned."

Adras coached Dele during his junior year at Gorman in 1986. Dele had moved to Las Vegas to live with his father, Gene Williams, a member of the Platters singing group. The next year Dele moved to Southern California to be with his mother, Patricia Phillips.

Back then, Adras said Dele didn't show signs of the eccentric personality that defined much of his eight years in the NBA.

Adras remembers Dele as a "fun-loving guy" who was very personable.

"For a new kid at a new school in a new town, he adapted very well," he said. "Everybody loved him on the campus. "

By the time he transferred from Maryland to Arizona for his final two college seasons (1989-91), Dele's colorful personality surfaced.

Arizona associate head coach Jim Rosborough paints a picture of a free-spirited and fun-loving Dele, who would cruise around town in a clunky old convertible with his 6-foot-11 frame rising high above the dashboard.

One morning before a big game, Dele's roommmate, NBA swingman Jud Buechler, awoke to find him pacing at 2 a.m. wearing only his underwear and basketball shoes and dribbling a basketball.

"I liked Brian," Rosborough said. "He was a unique individual.

"I don't mean that in a negative sense. I think he was well liked by his teammates. They got a kick out of his individuality. He was never malicious or non-team oriented."

Former NBA guard Pooh Richardson described the 33-year-old Dele as "different and intelligent."

Richardson, now a scout and player personnel administrator for the Harlem Globetrotters, was Dele's teammate with the Los Angeles Clippers during the 1995-'96 season.

"With him, he can be gone for two weeks and you don't have to worry about it," Richardson said. "But he has pushed this one too far.

"I don't think he normally does stuff like that because he's so aware. He's smart enough to know people would be worried and looking for him. He's just missing. I hope he's safe."

The 10-year NBA veteran remembered an incident when Dele missed practice in Phoenix because he took a private jet to Las Vegas and didn't return in time. Richardson said Dele walked into the gym as the rest of the team was leaving.

"He used to do his own thing," Richardson said. "But when the kid came to play, he got busy.

"Nobody really bothered him after practice or after games. He did his own thing. Once you played with him, you knew that and respected that."

In one season with the Clippers, Dele averaged 15.8 points and 7.6 rebounds while starting 65 games.

Although he was "loaded with talent," according to Rosborough, it was clear to Richardson and his teammates that Dele was an intellectual type, who "thought a lot more about other stuff than basketball."

Sometimes Dele dressed in outlandish outfits like former NBA bad boy Dennis Rodman. But Richardson said he wasn't as loud or outgoing.

As the son of a singer, perhaps performing was in his blood.

Calls placed to a Gene Williams living in Las Vegas and believed to be Dele's father were not returned.

During a Clippers home game at the Los Angeles Sports Arena, an injured Dele chose to sit under the basket with rock star friends instead of on the bench.

"One guy described him as a Renaissance Man," said Barry Hecker, the Clippers' director of player personnel. "He was into fine wine, traveling and a lot of other things outside of basketball."

Dele's interests ranged from playing the trumpet to sky diving.

"I never really had the kind of passion for basketball that my dad had for music," Dele once told the Detroit Free Press. "If I had the same kind of passion for basketball as my dad had for music, I probably would be a better player."

Hecker, who worked for the defunct Las Vegas Bandits and has a home here, was the Clippers' assistant coach when Dele was on the team.

Once when the team was on the road in Dallas, Hecker said Dele rented a helicopter and took close friend Pete Serrano, the Clippers' equipment manager, for a ride.

"He was impulsive," Hecker said. "He had money and he liked to spend it.

"I don't think he ever lived up to his basketball potential, but he was a good guy to be around off the court."

Hecker is troubled that Dele hasn't contacted his mother.

"He's very close to his mother," Hecker said. "I remember he used to take her to all of our parties. So if she hasn't heard from him, something's up. I hope he's alright."

Dele was chosen by the Orlando Magic with the 10th overall pick of the 1991 draft.

He played his final two seasons with the Detroit Pistons (1997-'99) and averaged a career best 16.2 points and 8.9 rebounds his first year with the team.

In typical fashion, the unpredictable Dele retired the day before training camp opened in 1999.

The move was viewed as bizarre considering that Dele was the team's highest-paid player and had five years left on his $45 million contract.

Had he played that season, he would have pocketed nearly $6 million up front and could have quit after the season started.

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