Charles Bediako, Alabama, and the NCAA’s Eligibility Maze: What His Return Says About the State of College Hoops
Saturday night in Tuscaloosa was already going to be a big one. Alabama welcomed Tennessee in a top-tier SEC showdown, but all eyes were on the return of Charles Bediako - the 6-foot-11 center who once suited up for the Crimson Tide, then spent time in the NBA G League, and now, somehow, was back in college basketball.
The Vols spoiled the homecoming, beating Alabama 79-73. But the real drama wasn’t just on the court - it was in the courtroom and in the broader conversation about what college sports has become.
After the game, Tennessee’s social media team fired off a playful jab at Bediako’s former G League squad, the Delaware Blue Coats: “You’re next.” That tweet, while cheeky, underscored the larger truth - we’re in uncharted territory when it comes to eligibility, professionalism, and what it means to be a college athlete in 2026.
The Bediako Case: A Legal and Philosophical Puzzle
Let’s start with how Bediako got back on the court in the first place. Alabama head coach Nate Oats and the university leaned on a Tuscaloosa Circuit Court judge, who granted a temporary restraining order allowing Bediako to suit up despite NCAA eligibility rules that would typically bar such a return. His case is still pending, but the restraining order was extended for another 10 days due to travel delays for the NCAA’s attorney.
The legal gymnastics here are just the surface of a deeper issue. Bediako had already played two seasons at Alabama (2021-2023), then left school, stayed in the NBA Draft past the withdrawal deadline, and signed multiple contracts - including Exhibit 10 deals and a two-way contract - with NBA teams. By NCAA standards, that’s supposed to be the end of the college road.
Yet here he is, back in a Tide uniform.
The Double Standard Debate
So how did we get here? Oats pointed to Baylor’s addition of James Nnaji - a 7-footer who was drafted No. 31 overall in 2023 but never signed an NBA contract - as part of the rationale. If Nnaji can play college ball, why not Bediako?
Oats also raised a broader question: Why are European players who’ve spent time in pro systems allowed to play NCAA basketball, while American (or in Bediako’s case, Canadian) players often aren’t?
It’s a fair question - but also a complicated one.
In Europe, the path to basketball success often runs through professional clubs. There isn’t a high school or college sports pipeline like in the U.S.
Many European teens align with pro teams early, not necessarily to make big money, but because that’s the only developmental option available. Some of those players come to the U.S. for college ball not because they’re chasing a dream, but because NIL money now makes it a more lucrative opportunity than their previous pro gigs.
That’s a different scenario than Bediako’s. He made a choice - to leave school, to stay in the draft, to sign pro contracts.
Those decisions have long been understood as the point of no return in college sports. So the idea that he should get a redo?
That’s where the NCAA’s resistance starts to make more sense.
The NCAA’s Uphill Battle in Court
Even when the NCAA has a strong case, its record in local courts is shaky at best. Judges rarely have much incentive to rule against the local team or the athlete trying to play. That’s part of why Bediako was able to get on the floor against Tennessee in the first place.
The bigger issue here is that the NCAA continues to operate in a gray area - trying to enforce rules built for a bygone era while the reality of college sports has shifted dramatically. This isn’t just amateur athletics anymore. It’s a billion-dollar industry where players have NIL deals, agents, and now, in some cases, pro experience.
What Comes Next: A Need for Real Structure
There’s a straightforward fix to all of this - and it doesn’t involve restraining orders or last-minute eligibility rulings. College sports needs a collectively bargained agreement with athletes. Something clear, fair, and legally sound.
For example: you have five years to play college sports from the time you graduate high school. If you stay in a professional draft past the established withdrawal date, that’s it - you’ve made your choice. But that rule would need to be agreed upon by both sides - schools and athletes - in a way that reflects the actual business relationship at play.
Right now, college sports still pretends that players are students first, entertainers second. But the truth is, they’re central to the product. And until the system acknowledges that - not just in rhetoric but in structure - we’re going to keep seeing cases like Bediako’s.
Final Thought
Nate Oats saw a hole in his frontcourt and found a way to fill it. Whether or not Bediako should be eligible is just one piece of a much larger puzzle. The real issue is that college athletics still hasn’t come to terms with what it is: a professionalized, high-stakes business that depends on athletes who deserve a seat at the table.
Until that happens, expect more legal battles, more confusion, and more nights like Saturday - where the biggest story isn’t just who won the game, but who was even allowed to play.