Florida head coach Todd Golden hasn’t minced words when it comes to Alabama big man Charles Bediako’s return to college basketball-and he’s not backing down.
Golden made headlines recently after publicly criticizing the legal maneuvering that allowed Bediako to suit up again for the Crimson Tide. Speaking on “Gator Talk,” Golden took aim at the Alabama judge who granted Bediako a temporary restraining order against the NCAA, effectively clearing the way for his return to the court.
The twist? That same judge is reportedly a donor to Alabama athletics.
“They were able to finagle the situation where they got a judge in Alabama that is actually a donor at Alabama to write a temporary restraining order to let this guy play games at Alabama,” Golden said. “We’re going to beat them anyways. If he plays, we’ll beat him anyways.”
That kind of confidence-and candor-sparked plenty of conversation across the college basketball world. And Golden isn’t walking it back. During a recent appearance on the Field of 68 podcast, he doubled down, saying he hasn’t spoken to Alabama head coach Nate Oats about the comments, but he’s fairly certain Oats isn’t losing sleep over it.
“I don’t think Nate cared at all that I said that,” Golden said.
Turns out, he’s probably right. Oats addressed the topic earlier in the week, brushing off the remarks as noise from “talking heads.” For a coach who’s built a program around toughness and tempo, it’s not surprising that he’s staying locked in on the hardwood rather than the headlines.
Golden, for his part, made it clear there’s no bad blood between the two coaches.
“To be honest, I love Nate,” he said.
But love doesn’t mean complacency. Golden acknowledged that Oats simply made the most of a situation that was available to him-a situation not every coach or program could have pulled off.
And that, Golden says, is the real issue. He’s joining voices like Kentucky’s Mark Pope in calling for more consistent, transparent guidelines from the NCAA to prevent similar scenarios from unfolding in the future.
“I think we will lose support if we continue down this path in terms of fans,” Golden said. “They want to see guys grow a program.”
That’s the heart of the debate. Bediako, who spent three years in the G League before returning to Alabama, has become a flashpoint in the ongoing conversation about amateurism and eligibility.
Some Crimson Tide fans are thrilled to have him back. Others are uneasy about what it means for the integrity of the college game.
Oats, though, isn’t getting caught up in the discourse. He’s focused on wins-and Golden knows it.
“He would expect us to expect that we win when we play them,” Golden said. “He’s going to expect to kick our a-.”
The two coaches won’t have to wait long to settle things on the court. Florida and Alabama are set to face off in Gainesville on Sunday, February 1. And with Bediako now in uniform, the stakes-and the emotions-just got a little higher.
One thing’s clear: Golden isn’t afraid to speak his mind. But come game day, it won’t be about soundbites.
It’ll be about basketball. And both coaches know exactly what’s on the line.