Motor City Cruise center Charles Bediako has been granted temporary permission to play for Alabama basketball this weekend.
College basketball's eligibility rules might start getting weird.
According to Nick Kelly of AL.com, Motor City Cruise center Charles Bediako has been granted an injunction from an Alabama judge that allows him to immediately play for the Alabama Crimson Tide despite more than two seasons spent in the NBA's G League. The injunction will last for 10 days or until a hearing can take place for a final ruling to be made.
Bediako, 23, played at Alabama from 2021-23, averaging 6.6 points in 70 games for the Crimson Tide before declaring for the 2023 NBA Draft. He has spent the last three seasons in the G League after going undrafted, first for the Austin Spurs in the 2023-24 season, next for the Grand Rapids Gold in 2024-25 and currently for the Cruise, the affiliate of the Detroit Pistons.
Bediako sued the NCAA on Tuesday, Jan. 20, in an attempt to return to college, arguing that he has the right to retain NCAA eligibility since he wasn't drafted and hasn't played for an NBA team.
“Had Mr. Bediako had more foresight to see the paradigm-shifting changes coming to compensation for NCAA athletes, he likely would still be on campus playing for the University of Alabama right now,” the lawsuit reads.
The injunction currently only affects one game, an Alabama home game against Tennessee on Saturday. If the judge eventually rules in favor of the NCAA, it will be the only game Bediako will be eligible to play for the Crimson Tide, who are coached by former Romulus High School coach Nate Oats.
The NCAA pushed back against the ruling.
“These attempts to sidestep NCAA rules and recruit individuals who have finished their time in college or signed NBA contracts are taking away opportunities from high school students,” it wrote in a statement to AL.com.
Alabama supported the ruling in a statement.
“The University of Alabama supports Charles and his ongoing efforts to be reinstated for competition while he works to complete his degree."
Bediako isn't the first NBA-eligible player to challenge the NCAA's eligibility rules. Former G Leaguer Thierry Darlan committed to Santa Clara in September while London Johnson, who spent three seasons in the G League from 2022-25, committed to Louisville in October. Darlan, from the Central African Republic, has played in 21 games for Santa Clara after appearing in 58 G League games over the two previous seasons. Johnson, who is from the U.S., has not played for Louisville after playing 76 games over three G League seasons.
Baylor center James Nnaji, who was selected No. 31 overall in the 2023 NBA Draft by the Detroit Pistons (who traded his rights to the Charlotte Hornets on draft day) out of Nigeria but never appeared in the NBA, was recently granted four years of eligibility to play at Baylor. Nnaji played pro ball exclusively in Europe.
It was a decision that shocked many college basketball experts and sent Michigan State coach Tom Izzo into a long tirade.
"Now we’re taking guys that were drafted in the NBA and everything?" he said. "I said it to you a month and a half ago – c’mon Magic [Johnson] and Gary [Harris], let’s go baby, let’s do it. Why not? I mean, if that’s what we’re going to, shame on the NCAA."
Should the judge rule in favor of Bediako, it could further open opportunities for players wishing to return to college teams from the professional ranks.
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You can reach Christian at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Charles Bediako, Cruise center, OK'd for college ball temporarily
Category: General Sports
