The legal standoff between Alabama center Charles Bediako and the NCAA took another turn this week, with SEC commissioner Greg Sankey stepping firmly into the fray. On Thursday, Sankey filed an affidavit backing the NCAA’s position in its ongoing battle with Bediako, who is fighting to regain his eligibility after a stint in the NBA G-League.
In his statement, Sankey urged the court to uphold the NCAA’s eligibility rules, calling them essential to the “integrity of college sports” and the broader educational mission of collegiate athletics. His message was clear: consistency matters, and bending the rules for one case could set a precedent that shakes the foundation of amateur sports.
That affidavit didn’t land in a vacuum. It was one of several exhibits submitted by the NCAA in its motion to block Bediako’s request for a preliminary injunction - a legal move that would allow him to continue playing this season while the case plays out.
Bediako has already suited up for Alabama in four games thanks to a temporary restraining order issued by a now-recused judge. But with that order hanging by a thread, a new hearing is set for Friday morning in front of Judge Daniel Pruet, who denied Bediako’s request to postpone the proceedings.
The NCAA didn’t mince words in its filing. In opposing the injunction, the organization argued that granting Bediako’s request would “forever change the landscape of high school, collegiate, and professional sports.” The NCAA also took aim at the basis of Bediako’s case, calling it a “self-serving, minimalist, verified complaint” driven by short-term financial motives.
Sankey echoed that sentiment in his affidavit, warning that inconsistent enforcement of eligibility rules - whether by court order or otherwise - only adds fuel to the fire of disruption in college athletics.
But that stance has drawn pushback, and not just from Bediako’s legal team. Darren Heitner, one of Bediako’s attorneys, fired back on social media Thursday, arguing that Sankey’s call for consistency is undermined by the NCAA’s own track record. Heitner also accused Sankey of clinging to “outdated principles of amateurism” and pointed to a potential conflict of interest in his role as SEC commissioner.
Perhaps most notably, Sankey’s position puts him at odds with Alabama’s own athletic department. Athletic director Greg Byrne publicly supported Bediako’s eligibility push last month, and head coach Nate Oats has been vocal in his defense of the player ever since the legal battle began. Oats has taken issue with the NCAA’s stance, especially when it comes to the comparison between Bediako and international players who’ve previously played professionally overseas.
“Any coach with a European pro on their team is pretty hypocritical when they’re talking about Charles, to be honest with you,” Oats said during an appearance on The Field of 68 this week. “I thought most guys who could think through this logically - there’s really not a big difference [between Bediako and international players].”
That comment drew a response from Florida head coach Todd Golden, whose roster includes former international pros. Golden pushed back on the idea that the situations are equivalent, pointing out that the structure of international basketball development is fundamentally different from the American system.
“There’s no high school in international [systems] in terms of, you don’t go through 12th grade most places,” Golden said. “I don’t think it’s a fair comparison to say, ‘Oh, a guy who played youth pro at 17 is the same as a guy who’s played in the G-League.’”
At the heart of the issue is a question that’s been simmering in college sports for years: where do you draw the line between amateurism and professionalism, especially in an era where the boundaries are blurring fast? Bediako’s case is just the latest flashpoint in a broader conversation about eligibility, fairness, and the future of college athletics.
For now, all eyes turn to Friday’s hearing. Whether or not Bediako gets the green light to continue playing this season could hinge on how Judge Pruet views the NCAA’s rules - and whether the court believes those rules still hold up in a rapidly evolving sports landscape.