I was shooting a spot with Shaq in Orlando and Brian Williams was one of Shaq’s teammates who had a small part in the spot. We played ball during the breaks and I could mess with his head easily with trash talk. Later in his career, he played with Jordan and the Bulls in a championship season. I wondered how he would survive Jordan’s relentless trash talk but he was a great contributor. During that time, he changed his name to Bison Dele, honoring some of his American Indian heritage. Because I had worked with him, and was touched by his sensitivity, I followed his career. He retired suddenly, walking away from millions of dollars. I saw him in Hawaii once, at a ceremony, but didn’t want to intrude in his group. He looked naïve and childlike in a strange way.
He disappeared sailing in French Polynesia. After investigation, it appears that he was murdered by his older brother for reasons that have never been proven. Dele’s boat was found off the shore of Tahiti, license plate removed and bulletholes patched. Dele’s brother said he had killed Dele in self-defense after Dele’s girlfriend had died accidentally and Dele had killed the captain of the boat when he was to report the girl’s death. Dele’s brother eventually committed suicide. Sad, sad story.