The NCAA has requested that an Alabama judge recuse himself from the eligibility lawsuit regarding Crimson Tide men\u2019s basketball player Charles Bediako because of an \u201cimpermissible appearance of impropriety.\u201d<\/p>\n
Bediako was granted immediate eligibility last week to return<\/a> to Alabama, even though he left the school early to declare for the 2023 NBA Draft, signed a two-way contract with an NBA team and spent most of the past three seasons competing in the G League. Bediako, 23, previously played for Alabama from 2021 to 2023.<\/p>\n Judge James H. Roberts Jr. of the Tuscaloosa County Circuit Court granted Bediako a temporary restraining order allowing him to play for the Crimson Tide one day after Bediako filed a lawsuit against the NCAA, and after the NCAA denied Alabama\u2019s initial request to reinstate Bediako\u2019s eligibility. The 7-footer played 25 minutes and scored 13 points in Saturday\u2019s 79-73 loss<\/a> to Tennessee. AL.com<\/a> and other outlets later reported that Roberts is listed as a University of Alabama athletics donor on The Crimson Tide Foundation\u2019s website, and he and his wife are recognized for lifetime contributions between $100,000 and $249,999.<\/p>\n The NCAA\u2019s legal representatives filed a motion for recusal Monday, arguing that \u201cintense media scrutiny and public speculation surrounding the (judge\u2019s) relationship with the University of Alabama\u201d could give off the \u201cappearance of partiality.\u201d<\/p>\n The motion referenced numerous articles and media reports that noted Roberts\u2019 relationship to the university, including reports that his wife, Mary Turner Roberts, is a lawyer for former Alabama player<\/a> (and Bediako teammate) Darius Miles, who is set to stand trial for capital murder stemming from a 2023 shooting. The motion also referenced fan comments on Reddit questioning the judge\u2019s impartiality.<\/p>\n \u201cPublic reaction to the case demonstrates that recusal is warranted here,\u201d the motion reads. \u201cDespite the NCAA\u2019s confidence that the (judge) can disregard his connections to the University of Alabama and its athletics programs, recusal is still necessary to protect these proceedings from an appearance of impropriety.\u201d<\/p>\n