G League big man expected to rejoin Alabama basketball for Tennessee game

Alabama basketball is set to play Tennessee soon, and they’ll be getting some help in the interior for the game. Head coach Nate Oats will play Charles Bediako after receiving a temporary restraining order from a judge to be eligible, according to Jeff Goodman of On3.

Bediako just played in the G League over the weekend, and he spent this season with Detroit’s G League affiliate, the Motor City Cruise, where he averaged 4.4 points and 6.8 rebounds in five games. Now he will be taking his talents back to the collegiate level, where he actually played at Alabama for two seasons. He averaged 6.6 points and 5.2 rebounds, and started in 67 games in those two seasons.

Bediako has signed three NBA contracts since leaving college, but hasn’t played in an NBA game. He went undrafted but played with the San Antonio Spurs in the Summer League, and they signed him to a two-way contract. He then played for the Denver Nuggets’ G League affiliate, the Grand Rapids Gold, during the 2024 season, where he averaged 10.4 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks in 34 games.

This spring semester would be Bediako’s final year of his five-year eligibility clock. The NCAA released a statement saying it would not grant his eligibility because of the NBA contracts he’s signed.

“The NCAA is aware of media reports about a lawsuit filed against the NCAA by Charles Bediako,” the statement read. “Mr. Bediako signed three NBA contracts after competing in college for two seasons. The NCAA has not and will not grant eligibility to any prospective or returning student-athletes who have signed an NBA contract. Eligibility rules ensure high school students get a shot at earning scholarships, and we will continue to consistently apply and defend these rules.”

The NCAA is set to make a decision on his eligibility on Jan. 27. Until then, he can play since he has the temporary restraining order.

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