{"id":594152,"date":"2026-02-10T07:51:17","date_gmt":"2026-02-10T07:51:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/594152\/"},"modified":"2026-02-10T07:51:17","modified_gmt":"2026-02-10T07:51:17","slug":"alabama-player-charles-bediako-loses-court-case-against-ncaa-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/594152\/","title":{"rendered":"Alabama player Charles Bediako loses court case against NCAA"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

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A potential groundbreaking decision was made in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, on Monday that could change NCAA<\/a> eligibility forever.<\/p>\n

A judge denied Charles Bediako\u2019s motion for a preliminary injunction that would allow him to continue playing basketball for the Alabama Crimson Tide after he returned despite declaring for the 2023 NBA Draft.<\/p>\n

So, after just five games, Bediako\u2019s season is over, per AL.com\u2019s Nick Kelly<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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\"Charles <\/p>\n

Charles Bediako of the Alabama Crimson Tide waits to enter his first collegiate game in two years during the first half against the Tennessee Volunteers at Coleman Coliseum on Jan. 24, 2026 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. (Brandon Sumrall\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n

“Common sense won a round today,” NCAA president Charlie Baker said in a statement, per Yahoo Sports<\/a>. “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 \u2018undo\u2019 button at the expense of a teenager\u2019s dream.<\/p>\n

“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.”<\/p>\n

Bediako filed a lawsuit against the NCAA in order to return to his Crimson Tide squad, where he last played during the 2022-23 season. The 7-foot center declared for the NBA Draft<\/a> after that year, but he went unselected in the two rounds.<\/p>\n

JOHN CALIPARI RIPS NCAA AFTER NBA PLAYER ENTERS COLLEGE MID-SEASON: \u2018WE DON\u2019T HAVE ANY RULES’<\/a><\/p>\n

Bediako eventually spent time in the G League over the past three seasons, which includes six games for the Motor City Cruise this season.<\/p>\n

However, he was granted a temporary restraining order in January, allowing him to return to Alabama to play for his old team despite the NCAA initially denying the Crimson Tide<\/a>\u2019s request to have him on the roster.<\/p>\n

Bediako isn\u2019t the first player whose attempt to head back to college after going pro hasn\u2019t gone swimmingly.<\/p>\n

James Nnaji, who was actually taken in the same draft as Bediako, shocked everyone when he committed to Baylor. While he hadn\u2019t played in an NBA game, Nnaji was the first former draftee to be cleared to play in college.<\/p>\n

\"Charles <\/p>\n

Charles Bediako of the Alabama Crimson Tide reacts during the second half in the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at KFC YUM! Center against the San Diego State Aztecs on March 24, 2023 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Andy Lyons\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n

It started a wave of similar commitments, which include G League players Thierry Darlan and London Johnson heading to Santa Clara and Louisville, though it is for next season.<\/p>\n

Alabama head coach Nate Oats told The Athletic<\/a> that Bediako will remain on scholarship even if he can\u2019t play.<\/p>\n

“Charles has done nothing wrong. I 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,” Oats told the outlet.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Arkansas head coach John Calipari unloaded on the current state of college basketball for allowing players to head back into college.<\/p>\n

“Does anybody care what this is doing for 17- and 18-year-old American kids?” Calipari questioned in his nearly seven-minute monologue in December 2025. “Do you know what this opportunity has done for them and their families? There aren\u2019t gonna be any high school kids. Who, other than dumb people like me, are gonna recruit high school kids? I get so much satisfaction out of coaching young kids and seeing them grow and make it, and their family\u2019s life changes, that I\u2019m gonna keep doing it. But why would anybody else, if you can get NBA players, G-League players, guys that are 28 years old, guys from Europe \u2014 do we really know their transcript? Do we have somebody over there? Do we really know their birth certificate? Or don\u2019t we?<\/p>\n

“If you put your name in the draft, I don\u2019t care if you\u2019re from Russia and you stay in the draft, you can\u2019t play college basketball. \u2018Well, that\u2019s only for American kids.\u2019 What? If your name is in that draft, and you got drafted, you can\u2019t play college because that\u2019s our rule. \u2018Yeah, but that\u2019s only for American kids.\u2019 OK. OK.”<\/p>\n

But Alabama feels that it has been done wrong by the NCAA considering players have been allowed in other programs to play this season despite going pro, Nnaji being an example.<\/p>\n

“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,” SEC commissioner Greg Sankey said in a four-page affidavit filed last week.<\/p>\n

\"Charles <\/p>\n

Charles Bediako of the Alabama Crimson Tide makes his return to the college court during the first half against the Tennessee Volunteers at Coleman Coliseum on Jan. 24, 2026 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. (Brandon Sumrall\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n

The university added a statement following the court\u2019s ruling, per Yahoo Sports.<\/p>\n

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“While we understand the concern around competitive and developmental implications of former professional athletes participating in college, it is important to acknowledge reality,” the statement read.<\/p>\n

“The 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 decisions-makers is so desperately needed.”<\/p>\n

The Crimson Tide went 3-2 with Bediako back on their bench.<\/p>\n

Follow Fox News Digital\u2019s\u00a0sports coverage on X<\/a>\u00a0and subscribe to\u00a0the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Scott Thompson is a sports writer for Fox News Digital.<\/p>\n