The NCAA requests the recusal of the judge in charge of Charles Bediako’s eligibility file “in order to protect this procedure against the appearance of irregularity”, according to court documents cited by several media, including Bama247.
James H. Roberts Jr., the justice in question, is an Alabama athletics donor. He and his wife, Mary Turner Roberts, have been recognized by the Crimson Tide Foundation website for contributions ranging from $100,000 to $249,999.
Roberts granted Bediako a temporary restraining order last week that paved the way for his return to college basketball nearly three years after he left for the NBA draft. Bediako played 25 minutes and scored 13 points for the Crimson Tide in their loss to Tennessee on Saturday in his first game for the program since 2023.
The NCAA’s motion seeking Roberts’ recusal said she did not allege “actual bias, bias or prejudice.” However, the NCAA’s argument centered on what it considers “an impermissible appearance of impropriety due to the intense media scrutiny and public speculation surrounding the Court’s relationship with the University of Alabama and its athletic programs and student-athletes.”
Another hearing was scheduled for Tuesday but was postponed due to weather, allowing Bediako’s initial restraining order to be extended for another 10 days, which will give Alabama legal cover to continue playing him at least until court resumes.
Top 25 Spinoffs
Alabama fell six spots in the AP Top 25 poll to No. 23 after falling to Tennessee in Bediako’s debut. Bediako’s presence on the floor was an influential factor in the participation of at least one voter in the Crimson Tide. Connor Earegood, who covers the state of Michigan for the Detroit News, revealed that he did not include Alabama on his ballot because of Bediako’s situation.
“I will not rank a team that has to bend the rules by a court decision just to win (and still lose),” Earegood wrote about X. “For me, it’s a team that admits its own weakness.
Bediako doesn’t miss anything in return
Two and a half years after his last game for Bama, Bediako looked great in his return, adding a dynamic lob threat to the Crimson Tide’s frontcourt.
He finished 5 of 6 shooting from the floor – with four dunks – and added three rebounds, two blocks and two steals. It was exactly the type of performance that could make the heartache of battling the NCAA worth it for coach Nate Oats, who thrust his program into the national spotlight in recent days by pushing for Bediako to be eligible midway through the season.
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Bediako’s return to college basketball — aided by a temporary restraining order issued by a local judge — after entering the 2023 NBA draft has sent college basketball into a frenzy. This case is just the latest example of how eligibility standards in college basketball are collapsing as NCAA rules continue to face legal challenges.
He last played for Alabama in the 2022-23 season as a sophomore before remaining in the NBA draft pool beyond the NCAA’s well-established and clearly communicated draft withdrawal deadline. This deadline has long served as a dividing line for players contemplating their futures.
Before the Bediako fiasco, the precedent maintained by the NCAA was: If you withdraw before the NBA draft deadline, you can preserve your collegiate eligibility. If you do not opt out and choose to remain in the NBA draft, you lose your future collegiate eligibility. There was never any ambiguity about it until Bediako found a friendly judge who paved the way for her return.
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Add to this the fact that Bediako has signed several NBA contracts and has been out of college basketball for nearly three years and you find yourself in a complicated situation that has stoked the ire of coaches across the country.
The precedent now set by the Bediako case could permanently alter the enforceability of the draft withdrawal deadline, further eroding the NCAA’s ability to govern college basketball. It’s also just the latest domino to fall in a saga that has seen the makeup of college basketball teams continue to change and move in a more professional direction.
Although some have compared the case to that of Baylor center James Nnajiwho joined the Bears earlier this season after being drafted 31st overall in the 2023 NBA Draft, there are a few key differences.
An unsuccessful professional career
Bediako went undrafted in 2023 and did not play in any NBA games, but he signed a two-way contract with the Spurs ahead of the 2023-24 season. He also signed NBA Exhibit 10 contracts. Both forms of contracts make him ineligible for college basketball, per NCAA standards. This is also a key area in which Bediako’s case differs from other players who played in the G League before returning to college basketball: Bediako is the first to be under contract with an NBA organization.
Here is an excerpt from the NCAA statement made by senior vice president of basketball Dan Gavitt:
“Mr. Bediako signed three NBA contracts after competing in college for two seasons. The NCAA has not and will not grant eligibility to prospective or returning student-athletes who have signed an NBA contract. The eligibility rules ensure that high school students have a chance to earn scholarships, and we will continue to consistently enforce and defend these rules.”
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The arguments in favor of returning to university
A key point in Bediako’s eligibility argument is that he is within the NCAA’s five-year eligibility window. The clock started when he enrolled at Alabama as a freshman in the 2021-22 season, and the 2025-26 season marks the fifth year on his clock. Since he is in his five-year window and has yet to play in an NBA game, Bediako’s representation argues he should be able to play.
“The NCAA’s arbitrary and inconsistent application of its eligibility criteria inflicts immediate and irreparable harm on him,” Bediako’s attorney, Darren Heitner, said in a statement. “This harm is particularly egregious given the NCAA’s recent decisions granting eligibility to athletes with far more extensive professional experience, revealing a pattern of selective and inequitable enforcement of its own rules.”
Differences between the Bediako and Nnaji cases
The case involving Baylor center James Nnaji differs from the Bediako case because, although Nnaji was drafted in 2023 (the same year Bediako was undrafted), Nnaji never signed an NBA contract. Nnaji was also cleared by the NCAA to play for Baylor, while Bediako was not cleared by the NCAA.
Nnaji also never appeared in a college basketball game and thus was never subject to the NCAA’s NBA Draft withdrawal deadline. Bediako was subject to this deadline in 2023.
A local judge makes the decision
The temporary restraining order granted by Tuscaloosa County Circuit Judge James Roberts Jr. allowed Bediako to play Saturday. Roberts’ decision drew criticism after it was revealed he was listed as a donor to the University of Alabama athletic department. On January 26, the NCAA filed a motion seeking Roberts’ recusal to avoid any appearance of impropriety.
What Oats said about being added to the roster
Alabama needs help inside and Bediako profiles as a solid rim protector after leading the Crimson Tide in blocks with 1.8 per game during the 2022-23 season. Although Bediako only averaged 4.9 points, 5.4 rebounds and 0.6 blocks in 15.1 minutes per game for the Motor City Cruise, his size, length and history of collegiate production could benefit the Crimson Tide. Those attributes were all on display against Tennessee.
“He was here not too long ago, and when he was here he was an elite rim protector, a very good post defender, a rebounder, a very good lob target,” Alabama coach Nate Oats said. “And I think his game has continued to develop, and we’re going to try to use some of the things that he’s developed. But right now, we’re just trying to get him used to playing with the players that we have.”
What other coaches say about Bediako
Florida coach Todd Golden said, “I don’t agree with that and I don’t think he should play.” He also added that he doesn’t blame Oats for making a move that could help his team win games.
“We’re going to beat them anyway” Said Golden. “If he plays, we’ll beat them anyway.”
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Kentucky Coach Mark Pope suggested the NCAA Tournament selection committee should not consider results when a team played someone who is ineligible under NCAA rules.
“The only hurdle that’s looming right now, and maybe a few steps ahead, is the NCAA deciding who’s going to play in the NCAA Tournament,” » declared the pope. “They can decide that. They have that power.
“They have been very, very clear about the rules that they are going to try to enforce,” Pope added. “They may lose in court, but they can still decide which games count toward the NCAA tournament.”
