Alabama’s Gamble on Charles Bediako Isn’t About Karma - It’s About a Roster That’s Still Missing Pieces
Alabama’s recent slide isn’t some cosmic punishment for bending NCAA rules. It’s not karma. It’s basketball - and right now, Alabama’s version of it isn’t working.
Since a judge ruled in favor of Charles Bediako, granting him eligibility as he sues the NCAA, Alabama has dropped two of its last three games. That includes a lopsided 100-77 loss to Florida, where the Gators dominated the paint and left little doubt about which team had the more imposing frontcourt.
“We beat them on the glass. We scored 72 points in the paint,” Florida coach Todd Golden said after the game. “Our bigs were really, really good.”
Alabama’s big? Charles Bediako - a 23-year-old center with three seasons of G League experience - finished with six points and fouled out. That’s not the impact you’re looking for when you go to court to get a guy on the floor.
Let’s be clear: Bediako isn’t a bad player. He’s a 7-footer with a professional résumé.
But inserting him into the heart of an SEC rotation after nearly three years away from the college game was always going to be a high-risk move. And right now, it’s looking more like a swing and a miss than a season-saving addition.
Desperate Times, Desperate Moves
Coach Nate Oats has built a reputation for pushing the pace and pushing boundaries. His recent decision to bring back Bediako - who declared for the NBA Draft nearly three years ago - is just the latest example. It also reeks of a team searching for answers.
Alabama has struggled defensively and lacked a true interior presence. That’s not a secret.
So when the opportunity arose to add a big body with experience, Oats took it. But experience doesn’t always equal impact.
And in Bediako’s case, the transition back to college hoops has been anything but seamless.
This wasn’t a subtle tweak to the rotation. This was a headline-grabbing, courtroom-cleared, midseason roster shake-up. And so far, the results haven’t justified the risk.
The NCAA Rulebook Meets the Legal Playbook
Bediako’s eligibility saga highlights the growing tension between NCAA rules and legal challenges. The rulebook says a player with NBA experience is no longer eligible to play college ball. But Bediako took that rule to court - and won, at least temporarily.
He’s not alone in testing the system. Former NBA player Amari Bailey has hired a lawyer and is reportedly exploring a return to college basketball. And Oscar Tshiebwe, the G League’s leading rebounder and a former Kentucky standout, has publicly questioned whether he could come back too.
The NCAA says no. But as we’ve seen, that “no” doesn’t always hold up in court.
Oats, for his part, has been vocal about wanting clear, enforceable rules - even as he’s actively navigating legal loopholes to improve his roster.
“They need to come up with a set of rules that everybody agrees on and we follow,” Oats said after the Florida loss. “The NCAA needs rules that can withstand legal challenges.”
That’s a fair point. But it’s also a bit rich coming from a coach who just added a player via legal challenge.
A Four-Step Plan for Roster Reinvention
What Oats is doing isn’t unique. It’s part of a broader trend in Division I basketball, where coaches are increasingly willing to test the limits of eligibility rules if it means gaining an edge.
The playbook looks something like this:
- Identify a roster weakness.
- Find a player - any player - with the size, skill, or experience to plug the hole.
- Navigate (or challenge) NCAA rules to get that player eligible.
- Call for clearer rules when the process gets messy.
Oats is now firmly on Step 4.
And he’s not alone. Baylor added James Nnaji this season - a former NBA Draft pick who played professionally in Europe.
He’s averaging just 1.2 points per game, but the precedent is there: international players with pro experience are eligible under NCAA rules. Bediako, a dual citizen of the U.S. and Canada, is now part of that conversation - though his path back involved more legal paperwork than most.
Oats’ argument is that if foreign pros can play, why not American G Leaguers?
“Some people would argue that Charles has a better case to be eligible than some other guys playing in college basketball,” Oats said.
It’s a bold stance. But it’s also one that invites scrutiny.
Bediako left Alabama for the pros, knowing full well that NCAA rules dictated he’d be giving up his remaining eligibility. Now, three years later, he’s back - not because the rules changed, but because a judge said he could play.
The Verdict on the Court
Whether Bediako ultimately wins his legal battle is still to be determined. He’s due for another hearing this week as his case against the NCAA moves forward. But in the court of public opinion - and more importantly, in the box score - the early returns haven’t been kind.
Against Florida, Bediako fouled out after scoring six points. Alabama was overwhelmed inside, and the loss knocked them out of the national rankings.
This wasn’t a statement win. It was a reality check.
The truth is, Alabama’s issues run deeper than one player. Bediako may have filled a roster spot, but he hasn’t filled the void in the paint. And unless something changes quickly, this team - which has made the Sweet 16 in four of Oats’ last five seasons - could find itself on the outside looking in come March.
Final Thoughts
This isn’t about karma. It’s about construction.
Alabama took a big swing by adding Bediako, hoping he’d be the missing piece. But so far, the move has only highlighted how incomplete this roster still is.
The legal battles may continue, and the NCAA may need to revisit its rulebook. But on the court, the scoreboard doesn’t lie. Alabama needed more than a courtroom win - it needed a game-changer.
So far, it’s gotten neither.