Alabama men’s basketball plans to play Charles Bediako against Tennessee on Saturday if all goes smoothly over the next two days, a source with direct knowledge of the decision told AL.com on Wednesday.
The former Alabama center was granted a temporary restraining order Wednesday morning, giving him immediate eligibility to participate in all Alabama men’s basketball activities and games. Bediako hasn’t played for Alabama since 2023.
No. 17 Alabama faces Tennessee on Saturday (7:30 p.m. CT, ESPN) at Coleman Coliseum.
The Field of 68 was first to report the expectation that Bediako will play.
The order from Tuscaloosa County Circuit Court judge James H. Roberts will remain in effect by law for 10 days or until a hearing can take place. A hearing on the preliminary injunction is currently Jan. 27.
It’s called a temporary restraining order because the NCAA is “restrained from applying or enforcing its bylaws or any other rules or regulations in such a manner as to deny Mr. Bediako’s eligibility to compete in Division I athletics for the University of Alabama’s basketball program.”
Bediako submitted a request Tuesday to Tuscaloosa Circuit Court, asking for a temporary restraining order and/or preliminary injunction to allow him to return to play college basketball for the Crimson Tide. The hearing set for Jan. 27 will make a ruling on the injunction for Bediako, who has already enrolled at UA this semester, per court documents.
“The University of Alabama supports Charles and his ongoing efforts to be reinstated for competition while he works to complete his degree,” UA athletics said in a statement.
It is possible the request for an injunction is denied at the hearing, making it so Bediako can only play one game. After the Tennessee game, Alabama won’t play again until the night of Jan. 27. Or the court could grant the preliminary injunction, and then there would be no set time frame for the case to be resolved.
“These attempts to sidestep NCAA rules and recruit individuals who have finished their time in college or signed NBA contracts are taking away opportunities from high school students,” the NCAA said in a statement to AL.com. “A judge ordering the NCAA let a former NBA player take the court Saturday against actual college student-athletes is exactly why Congress must step in and empower college sports to enforce our eligibility rules.”
Bediako left Alabama in 2023 after two seasons and declared for the NBA draft. He was not selected. Then he signed a two-way deal with the San Antonio Spurs, only playing for their G League team but never the NBA team. Since then, Bediako has been in the G League, as recently as this month.
“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 initial complaint reads. “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.”
The NCAA denied Alabama’s request to reinstate Bediako, per the complaint filed. So he turned to the court system to try and return to college basketball.
