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Under Court Order, Alabama’s Charles Bediako Plays vs. Tennessee as NCAA Eligibility Fight Escalates

A Tuscaloosa judge listed as an Alabama athletics donor restored the center’s eligibility on a temporary basis, setting up a Jan. 27 hearing that will test the NCAA’s ban on players who signed NBA contracts.

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Charles Bediako in action for Alabama during an NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 game against San Diego State on March 24, 2023.
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Overview

  • Tuscaloosa County Circuit Judge James H. Roberts Jr. granted a temporary restraining order declaring Bediako immediately eligible and barring the NCAA from threatening penalties during the order’s roughly 10-day window.
  • Alabama added Bediako to its roster and he logged 13 points and three rebounds in a 79–73 home loss to Tennessee on Saturday.
  • A preliminary-injunction hearing is scheduled for Jan. 27 to determine whether Bediako can continue playing beyond the temporary order.
  • The NCAA said Bediako signed multiple NBA contracts and reiterated it will not grant eligibility to athletes who have signed NBA deals, warning that overruling these standards would destabilize roster building.
  • Coach Nate Oats defended playing Bediako and cited uneven past rulings, Florida’s Todd Golden and Tennessee’s Rick Barnes criticized the move, Kentucky’s Mark Pope floated discounting such games for selection purposes, and Alabama AD Greg Byrne pointed to inconsistencies in eligibility decisions.