Basketball
Former Alabama big man Charles Bediako sued the NCAA in a Tuscaloosa, Alabama, court on Tuesday, seeking a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction that would allow him to play for the remainder of the 2025-26 season for the Crimson Tide.
“Official regular season games for the University of Alabama’s 2025-2026 men’s basketball season have already begun and the team has already started conference play within the Southeastern Conference,” Bediako’s attorneys wrote in the filing. “Mr. Bediako will be irreparably harmed if he is not able to join the team immediately because of the lost development and opportunity to become integrated with his teammates and potentially participate in a postseason run.”
Bediako, 23, hasn’t played college basketball since the 2022-23 season, where he played a key role in Alabama earning the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament. The Alabama big man started all 37 games during his final college season and averaged 6.4 points, 6.0 rebounds and 1.8 blocks in 20.8 minutes per game. His final appearance for Alabama came in a Sweet 16 loss to San Diego State in the 2023 NCAA Tournament.
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Bediako had two years of eligibility remaining but declared for the 2023 NBA Draft. He was not selected but signed a two-way contract with the San Antonio Spurs and briefly played for the Austin Spurs, San Antonio’s G League affiliate. Since then, he suited up for two other G League teams — the Grand Rapids Gold and, most recently, the Motor City Cruise.
Bediako has not seen action in an NBA game. However, the NCAA said in a statement it “has not and will not grant eligibility to any prospective or returning student-athletes who have signed an NBA contract.”
“Mr. Bediako signed three NBA contracts after competing in college for two seasons. The NCAA has not and will not grant eligibility to any prospective or returning student-athletes who have signed an NBA contract,” the NCAA said. “Eligibility rules ensure high school students get a shot at earning scholarships, and we will continue to consistently apply and defend these rules.”
In the court filing, Bediako’s attorneys say he regrets leaving Alabama early.
“Had Mr. Bediako had more foresight to see the paradigm-shifting changes coming to compensation for NCAA athletes, he likely would still be on campus playing for the University of Alabama right now,” the complaint reads, via Al.com. “When the NCAA recently began to reinstate players with G League experience, and even players who had entered and been selected in the NBA Draft, Mr. Bediako saw this as a chance to right a wrong decision that he had regretted over the past three years.”
If Bediako is granted eligibility, he will become the latest player to go from the G League back to the college game. Former G League Ignite player Thierry Darlan was ruled eligible to play for Santa Clara. London Johnson — another former G League Ignite player — was ruled eligible to play at Louisville. However, Louisville coach Pat Kelsey announced earlier this month that Johnson will not play this season.
Another case that has made headlines in recent weeks was Baylor’s mid-season addition of big man James Nnaji, who was selected at No. 31 overall in the 2023 NBA Draft by the Charlotte Hornets. Nnaji never played in an official NBA regular season game but participated in the NBA Summer League and played professionally overseas.
No. 17 Alabama is 13-5 (3-2 SEC) heading into a matchup against Tennessee on Saturday.
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