Former Alabama center Charles Bediako sues NCAA in effort to return to college basketball
Former Alabama big man Charles Bediako sued the NCAA in a Tuscaloosa, Ala., court Tuesday, seeking a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction that would allow him to play the remainder of the 2025-26 season for the Crimson Tide.
“Official games for the 2025-2026 University of Alabama men’s basketball regular season have already begun and the team has already begun conference play within the Southeastern Conference,” Bediako’s attorneys wrote in the filing. “Mr. Bediako will suffer irreparable harm if he is unable to rejoin the team immediately due to lost development and opportunity to integrate with his teammates and potentially participate in the playoffs.”
Bediako, 23, hasn’t played college basketball since the 2022-23 season, where he played a key role in Alabama winning 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 last 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 has joined 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 that it “does not and will not grant eligibility to 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 prospective or returning student-athletes who have signed an NBA contract,” the NCAA said. “The eligibility rules ensure that high school students have a chance at scholarships, and we will continue to consistently enforce and defend these rules.”
In the court filing, Bediako’s lawyers say he regrets leaving Alabama early.
“If Mr. Bediako had more foresight to see the paradigm shifts occurring in NCAA athlete compensation, he would likely still be on campus playing for the University of Alabama right now,” the complaint states, via Al.com. “When the NCAA recently began reinstating players with G League experience, and even players who had participated in and been selected in the NBA draft, Mr. Bediako saw it as an opportunity to right a bad decision he had regretted over the past three years.”
If Bediako is eligible, he will become the latest player to move from G League to college game. Former G League Ignite player Thierry Darlan has been deemed eligible to play for Santa Clara. London Johnson – another former G League Ignite player – has been deemed eligible to play at Louisville. However, Louisville coach Pat Kelsey announced earlier this month that Johnson would not play this season.
Another case that has made headlines in recent weeks is that Baylor adds big man James Nnaji midseasonwho was selected 31st 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 game against Tennessee on Saturday.
