The NCAA has asked a Tuscaloosa Circuit Court judge to recuse himself from Alabama basketball center Charles Bediako’s eligibility lawsuit against the organization, according to court documents obtained by AL.com. The judge, James Roberts, is listed as a UA donor on the Crimson Tide Foundation’s website.
The organization filed the motion for recusal on Tuesday.
“The NCAA has faith in the judicial process and does not currently contend the Court has an actual bias, partiality, or prejudice,” the motion reads. “the Similarly, the NCAA does not allege that any actual bias motivated the Court’s granting of a temporary restraining order. Instead, the NCAA contends that proceeding in this Court has created an impermissible appearance of impropriety because of the intense media scrutiny and public speculation surrounding the Court’s relationship with the University of Alabama and its athletics programs and student-athletes.”
The NCAA attached several articles to the motion as evidence that recusal would be appropriate, including an AL.com story reporting on Roberts’ status as a UA donor. It also cites fans claiming the appearance of a court bias on Reddit and other message boards.
Bediako sued the NCAA on Tuesday, seeking temporary and permanent injunctions that would allow him to play for Alabama despite spending the past three years in the NBA’s G League. Bediako left Alabama for the 2023 NBA Draft, where he went unselected, but did sign a two-way NBA contract, something the NCAA has said means players cannot regain eligibility.
Roberts granted Bediako a temporary restraining order Wednesday, allowing the center to play on Saturday. A hearing on the injunction was to be held on Tuesday, but due to weather preventing the NCAA’s representation from attending, it was postponed indefinitely and the restraining order was extended for 10 days.
“Courts in Alabama and beyond have widely recognized that a mere appearance of partiality is sufficient to require the recusal of a trial judge,” the NCAA wrote. “This appearance can be compounded by widespread media and public scrutiny questioning the trial court’s impartiality. Despite the NCAA’s confidence that the Court can disregard his connections to the University of Alabama and its athletics programs, recusal is still necessary to protect these proceedings from an appearance of impropriety.”
Alabama plays Missouri on Tuesday at Coleman Coliseum. The game is scheduled to tip off at 7 p.m. CT.
