Judge rules Alabama basketball player ineligible

The Charles Bediako eligibility saga has come to a head for Alabama men’s basketball.

The motion for a temporary injunction has been denied by Judge Daniel Pruet, according to The Tuscaloosa News ― part of the USA TODAY Network ― on Monday, Feb. 9. That means the 7-foot center’s time with the Crimson Tide and return to college basketball are over.

The decision overturns the temporary restraining order by Judge James Roberts Jr. that Bediako received on Jan. 21 against the NCAA that made him immediately eligible.

Bediako originally played for Alabama from 2021 to 2023 before appearing in 82 games across three seasons in the G League.

Roberts, since then, recused himself from the case due to a conflict of interest as an Alabama donor.

In an NCAA affidavit filed on Thursday, Feb. 5, in Tuscaloosa County (Alabama), SEC commissioner Greg Sankey asked the court to rule against Bediako, siding with the NCAA.

“I respectfully ask the Court to uphold the NCAA eligibility rules challenged in this case, which are essential to the integrity of college sports, to the educational mission they serve, and to the opportunities they provide for current and future student-athletes,” Sankey wrote in the affidavit.

Bediako appeared in five games for the Crimson Tide, averaging 10 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game in 21.6 minutes. He had 12 points in Alabama’s 96-92 win over Alabama on Saturday, Feb. 7.

The NCAA’s argument against Bediako’s eligibility is that he signed multiple professional contracts since leaving Alabama after the 2022-23 season, which make him ineligible to return to the sport, according to the organization’s longstanding eligibility rules.

Bediako’s return to college basketball is happening during a period when several former G League players have been added to college rosters for this season.

NCAA statement on Charles Bediako being ruled ineligible

NCAA President Charlie Baker released a statement on Bediako being ruled ineligible on Monday, Feb. 9.

“Common sense won a round today. 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,’ he wrote in a statement released on social media.

‘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. While we’re glad the court upheld the rules our members actually want, one win doesn’t fix the national mess of state laws. It’s time for Congress to stop watching from the sidelines and help us provide some actual stability.”

Will Alabama have to forfeit games Charles Bediako played in?

No, Alabama will not have to forfeit the games Bediako played in because he was eligible due to a TRO. He appeared in five games with the Crimson Tide, with the team going 3-2.

Alabama beat Auburn 96-92 on Saturday, Feb. 7, and defeated Texas A&M 100-97 on Feb. 4. The Crimson Tide also had a 90-64 win over Missouri. They lost to Tennessee and Florida in that span.