Charles Bediako’s college basketball comeback bid has officially hit a wall. A Tuscaloosa judge has denied his request for an injunction, ending his eligibility to play for Alabama and handing the NCAA a significant - and very public - legal victory.
For the past couple of weeks, Bediako had been suiting up for the Crimson Tide thanks to a temporary restraining order, which allowed him to play while his case was being reviewed. That order came from Judge James Roberts, who later recused himself due to connections with the Alabama athletic department. With Roberts stepping aside, Judge Daniel Pruet took over and ultimately ruled against Bediako, shutting the door on his return to the college hardwood.
During that brief window, Alabama head coach Nate Oats wasted no time getting Bediako back into the rotation. The former NBA hopeful had worked his way back into shape, and Oats clearly believed the big man had every right to be on the floor.
“Charles has done nothing wrong,” Oats said. “Charles and his agent and his attorneys have seen what’s gone on in the landscape of college basketball, and they didn’t see a reason why Charles wouldn’t be eligible.”
But the legal system didn’t see it that way.
In his ruling, Judge Pruet noted that Bediako “failed to meet the first three elements required” for a preliminary injunction. That’s a critical legal threshold - and one Bediako didn’t clear.
Pruet added that because those elements weren’t met, he didn’t even need to weigh whether the NCAA would be unfairly burdened by granting the injunction. Still, he pointed out that it’s inaccurate to say the NCAA would suffer “precisely zero hardship” if Bediako were allowed to play.
That sentiment was echoed - and then some - by NCAA president Charlie Baker, who didn’t mince words in his post-ruling statement.
“Common sense won a round today,” Baker said. “The court saw this for what it is: an attempt by professionals to pivot back to college and crowd out the next generation of students. College sports are for students, not for people who already walked away to go pro and now want to hit the ‘undo’ button at the expense of a teenager’s dream.”
Baker also used the moment to renew his call for federal legislation to bring clarity to the tangled web of state laws currently governing college athletics.
“While we’re glad the court upheld the rules our members actually want, one win doesn't fix the national mess of state laws,” he said. “It’s time for Congress to stop watching from the sidelines and help us provide some actual stability.”
The Bediako case had become a flashpoint in the broader debate over eligibility, amateurism, and the evolving role of professional experience in college sports. While the NCAA has been under increasing pressure to modernize its rules, this ruling reinforces its current stance: once a player takes the pro path, there’s no easy road back.
For Alabama, it’s a tough loss - both on the court and in the locker room. And for Bediako, it’s a harsh reminder that the bridge between professional basketball and the college game isn’t built for round trips.