Alabama men\u2019s basketball player Charles Bediako can no longer play college basketball, an Alabama judge ruled Monday, marking a significant victory for the NCAA and its existing eligibility rules.<\/p>\n
Judge Daniel Pruet of the Tuscaloosa Circuit Court denied a preliminary injunction in Bediako\u2019s lawsuit against the NCAA that prevents him from continuing to play for the Crimson Tide, overruling a temporary restraining order<\/a> for immediate eligibility that was granted to Bediako last month.<\/p>\n Bediako, 23, previously played for Alabama from 2021 to 2023. The 7-footer from Brampton, Ontario, declared for the 2023 NBA Draft after two seasons in college, at the time forgoing his remaining eligibility. He went undrafted but signed a two-way contract with an NBA team and spent most of the past three seasons competing in the G League, including as recently as a game on Jan. 17. He never appeared in an NBA game.<\/p>\n He rejoined Alabama last month and took his case to court after the NCAA denied Alabama\u2019s request to reinstate his eligibility.<\/p>\n Bediako played in five games for the Crimson Tide (16-7) after the temporary restraining order was granted on Jan. 21, averaging 10 points and 4.6 rebounds in 21.6 minutes per game. He scored 12 points off the bench in Alabama\u2019s 96-92 rivalry win at Auburn on Saturday. The team was 3-2 when Bediako played. It is not expected that Alabama will have to vacate any wins in which Bediako participated.<\/p>\n Monday\u2019s ruling, which came after a hearing Friday, represents a considerable triumph for the NCAA, which is facing numerous challenges to its eligibility rules. A number of former G League and international players were granted eligibility by the NCAA<\/a> this season \u2014 including Baylor\u2019s James Nnaji, a former NBA Draft pick \u2014 but unlike Bediako, none had previously played in college or signed an NBA contract, the latter of which was established as a red-line distinction by NCAA president Charlie Baker<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cCommon sense won a round today,\u201d Baker said in a statement Monday. \u201cThe 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 \u2018undo\u2019 button at the expense of a teenager\u2019s dream. While we\u2019re glad the court upheld the rules our members actually want, one win doesn\u2019t fix the national mess of state laws. It\u2019s time for Congress to stop watching from the sidelines and help us provide some actual stability.\u201d<\/p>\n This passage of the judge’s order denying Bediako’s injunction request is particularly important. <\/p>\n He rejects the argument that a pro player will suffer harm if he can’t come back and make college NIL money. pic.twitter.com\/XLdvINQmMY<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Stewart Mandel (@slmandel) February 9, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n Alabama coach Nate Oats said last week that Bediako would remain on scholarship even if he\u2019s unable to keep playing.<\/p>\n \u201cCharles has done nothing wrong,\u201d Oats said last month about his decision to play Bediako. \u201cI will stand by our guys every single time, no matter what the outside says when they\u2019ve done nothing wrong, and Charles has done everything right.\u201d<\/p>\n Last Thursday, SEC commissioner Greg Sankey filed an affidavit in favor of upholding the NCAA\u2019s eligibility rules and denying Bediako\u2019s request to continue playing college basketball. It was a notable example of the commissioner \u2014 one of the most prominent and powerful leaders in college sports \u2014 advocating against a member of his own conference<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cInconsistent application of the NCAA eligibility rules challenged in this case \u2014 through court rulings or otherwise \u2014 fuels disruption in college sports,\u201d Sankey wrote in the affidavit.<\/p>\n In a separate opposition response last week, the NCAA described Bediako\u2019s claim as \u201cweak\u201d and described it as a \u201cself-serving, minimalist, verified complaint from one basketball player seeking substantial short-term financial gain.\u201d<\/p>\n Despite waiting through the weekend before delivering a decision, the judge found those collective arguments convincing enough to deny the injunction.<\/p>\n In a five-page order denying the motion, Pruet laid out multiple reasons why Bediako\u2019s request did not meet the standards for injunction relief, such as irreparable harm or a lack of adequate legal remedies. The judge wrote that Bediako \u201cfailed to demonstrate that he is entitled to the injunctive relief that he seeks.\u201d<\/p>\n Bediako\u2019s original complaint argued that he \u201cnever would have left school to pursue financial gain elsewhere\u201d had he known the amount of money he could have soon earned at the college level via name, image, and likeness (NIL) and direct revenue sharing from the university under the terms of the House settlement.<\/p>\n The motion for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction stated Bediako would \u201csuffer irreparable harm\u201d if he was not granted immediate eligibility because of the competitive, financial and educational opportunities he would miss out on, and the complaint argued that Bediako\u2019s case falls under the same category as other G League and international players who were granted eligibility.<\/p>\n The University of Alabama released a statement last month in support of Bediako and \u201chis ongoing efforts to be reinstated for competition while he works to complete his degree.\u201d<\/p>\n The school said Monday it was disappointed in the ruling.<\/p>\n \u201cWhile we understand the concern around competitive and developmental implications of former professional athletes participating in college, it is important to acknowledge reality,\u201d it said. \u201cThe NCAA has granted eligibility to over 100 current men\u2019s basketball players with prior professional experience in the G League or overseas. Granting eligibility to some former professionals, and not to others, is what creates the havoc we are currently in and why consistency from decision-makers is so desperately needed.\u201d<\/p>\n Alabama and Oats have drawn criticism<\/a> from other coaches, administrators and college basketball personalities for recruiting and playing Bediako, and his return to college basketball seemed to spark continued eligibility efforts<\/a> by other athletes who had left college and played in the NBA. Amari Bailey, a former UCLA guard, was selected in the second round of the 2023 NBA Draft after one season with the Bruins and played in 10 games for the Charlotte Hornets. His lawyer recently confirmed to The Athletic that Bailey is pursuing a return to college basketball<\/a>.<\/p>\n Friday\u2019s hearing in the Bediako case was heard before Judge Pruet because the initial judge \u2014 James H. Roberts Jr., who granted Bediako the temporary restraining order \u2014 later recused himself<\/a> after the NCAA argued Roberts\u2019 relationship with the university suggested an \u201cimpermissible appearance of impropriety.\u201d Roberts is listed as a University of Alabama athletics donor on The Crimson Tide Foundation\u2019s website, and his wife, Mary Turner Roberts, is reportedly on the legal team representing former Alabama player Darius Miles, who is set to stand trial for capital murder stemming from a 2023 shooting.<\/p>\n There are multiple ongoing eligibility lawsuits against the NCAA by college football players as well, including Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss<\/a> and Tennessee quarterback Joey Aguilar<\/a>. Both of those cases were filed in state court, like Bediako, as opposed to federal court, possibly due to a belief that a state court could offer a more favorable ruling to a high-profile athlete looking to play for an in-state university.<\/p>\n