Charles Bediako NCAA Eligibility Ruling Allows Former Alabama Center to Rejoin Crimson Tide Amid Landmark Legal Fight

A state judge has issued a breaking update that could reshape college basketball eligibility rules, granting former Alabama center Charles Bediako immediate permission to return to the Crimson Tide while his legal challenge against the NCAA moves forward.

On Wednesday, James H. Roberts Jr. of the Tuscaloosa County Circuit Court approved a temporary restraining order declaring Bediako immediately eligible for all team activities and barring the NCAA from imposing or threatening penalties against Alabama, its coaches, or its players during the order’s duration. The ruling came one day after Bediako filed suit against the NCAA following its denial of Alabama’s appeal to reinstate his eligibility.

The restraining order is valid for 10 days, with a full hearing on a preliminary injunction scheduled for Tuesday at 9 a.m. local time. The decision arrived just hours after NCAA president Charlie Baker reiterated publicly that athletes who sign NBA contracts after competing in college would not be granted a return to NCAA competition.

Bediako, a former Alabama standout who helped the Crimson Tide reach the NCAA Tournament in the 2022 and 2023 seasons, entered the 2023 NBA Draft, went undrafted, and later signed a two way contract with the San Antonio Spurs. He never appeared in an NBA regular season game. Under existing NCAA rules, signing an NBA contract has traditionally ended a player’s college eligibility.

This case represents a potential turning point for the sport. While the NCAA has recently cleared international professionals and former G League players to compete in Division I basketball, those athletes had not previously played college basketball. Bediako’s situation marks the first time a former NCAA player who entered the NBA Draft and signed an NBA contract has been granted a legal pathway back to college competition.

In his complaint, Bediako cited the reinstatement of James Nnaji, the 31st overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft who played professionally in Europe with FC Barcelona before being cleared to play college basketball. Bediako’s legal filing argues that the NCAA’s application of eligibility rules favors international professionals over domestic players who begin their careers in college, pursue the NBA, and later attempt to return.

The lawsuit further states that Bediako would have remained at Alabama had he known future revenue sharing and NIL frameworks would be available, and notes that injuries and limited professional opportunities affected his ability to establish himself at the NBA level.

From a team impact standpoint, Bediako’s return could immediately bolster Alabama’s interior defense and rim protection. During his two seasons in Tuscaloosa, he averaged 6.6 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks per game. In the 2022 to 2023 season, Alabama finished with the No. 3 adjusted defensive efficiency in the nation, with Bediako anchoring the paint.

Under the NCAA’s five year eligibility clock, Bediako would be eligible to play for the remainder of the season if the court ultimately rules in his favor. Alabama is scheduled to face Tennessee at home this weekend as it looks to address defensive inconsistency, currently ranking 67th nationally in adjusted defensive efficiency.

The broader outlook extends well beyond Alabama. Coaches across the sport, including Tom Izzo, Dan Hurley, and John Calipari, have previously warned that allowing former professionals to return could open the door for widespread eligibility challenges. The next steps in Bediako’s case may determine whether this ruling remains an isolated legal exception or becomes a precedent with league wide implications.

The NCAA has made clear it plans to contest the matter. In a statement, Baker said the organization will continue to defend its eligibility rules, emphasizing that Bediako signed multiple NBA contracts after competing in college and that the NCAA does not intend to reinstate players who have done so.

As the legal process continues, Bediako’s situation stands as one of the most significant eligibility disputes in modern college basketball, with potential consequences for roster construction, NIL strategy, and the future balance between college and professional pathways.