Bison Dele’s death is one of the biggest tragedies and mysteries in sports.
It’s a story that transcends the arena after he went missing just five years after reaching the pinnacle of basketball in 1996.
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Bison Dele was part of the 1997 championship-winning Bulls teamCredit: GETTY
Born as Brian Williams, Dele was selected as the 10th pick in the 1991 NBA Draft.
The 6-foot-11 center was a talented player but struggled to make an impact at the Magic and later the Denver Nuggets.
He blossomed into a star when he joined the Los Angeles Clippers in 1995 and averaged 15.8 points and 7.6 rebounds that season.
Dele’s status in the sport grew even more when, after a contract dispute with the Clippers, he joined the Chicago Bulls in 1997.
He played an important role as their backup center during their championship season.
Such was Dele’s impact, he joined the Detroit Pistons on a contract worth $45 million.
However, in a shocking turn of events, Dele retired from the NBA in 1999.
The then 30-year-old exited the league with $36.4 million remaining on his contract.
Why did Bison Dele retire early?
Dele’s decision to walk away from the sport came out of his desire to go sailing and spend extensive time at sea.
With $16 million in career earnings, Dele was well-resourced for his new adventure.
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Dele (left) left the Bulls after one seasonCredit: GETTY
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Dele disappeared in 2002Credit: GETTY
Dele traveled across multiple oceans, spending time travelling the Mediterranean, Australia, and the South Pacific.
In 2002, Dele bought a catamaran for $650,000 to enhance his sailing experience.
Early that year, Dele and his girlfriend Serena Karlan were joined at sea by his brother Kevin
What happened to Bison Dele?
In the summer of 2002, Dele and his girlfriend went missing along with the captain of his boat, Bertrand Saldo.
It was a case that made national headlines as there were no clues at the time as to what happened.
The US Coast Guard initially failed to solve the case.
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However, there would be a breakthrough in September of that year, when a sting operation by Phoenix Police, led to Dele’s brother Kevin being detained on suspicion of killing his brother – allegations he always denied.
At the time, he was also being chased by the FBI after a man fitting his description reportedly piloted Dele’s catamaran into a harbour.
Kevin later intentionally overdosed on insulin and slipped into a coma, before dying on September 27, 2002 in a California hospital.
The bodies of the three other people aboard the vessel were not found and never have been.
A memorial service for both brothers was held in October 2002.
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Dele left the Pistons and the NBA in 1999Credit: GETTY
”Miles has always been in his shadow,” Dele and Dabord’s mother Patricia Phillips told The New York Times.
”He was always feeling he wasn’t as valued or as loved. I’m sure that was in play over the last six months on that boat.
”But I can’t lay innocence or blame anywhere, not until I know what happened.Â
”For six months, I’ve had this romantic notion about my boys, just imagining all they were doing and learning and seeing.Â
“Now I don’t want to think or feel.”
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