Alabama Basketball: Bama goes boom with Charles Bediako

Whether all Alabama basketball fans heard it or not, there was a boom on campus Tuesday. It coincided with the announcement by Charles Bediako he had chosen the Crimson Tide over Duke and 13 other offers. Coming up short along with the Blue Devils were Michigan, Ohio State, Baylor, Illinois, Louisville, Tennessee and Southern Cal.

Bediako has long been the big man Nate Oats wanted in the Alabama Basketball 2021 class. Bediako is the fourth member of the class, joining 5-Star, J.D. Davison and 4-Stars, Jusaun Holt and Langston Wilson.

As rated by the 247Sports Composite, Bediako is the No. 4 center and the No. 26 player overall. Prior to the Bediako announcement, the Alabama Crimson Tide had the No. 19 class nationally and the second-best class in the SEC. After adding Bediako, the Crimson Tide will leap to the No. 3 or No. 4 class nationally. Michigan currently has the No. 1 class but that ranking is driven by adding six players for the 2021-22 season. The Kentucky Wildcats, at No. 5 led the SEC classes before the Bediako decision.

Alabama Basketball Got the Big Man Nate Oats Wanted

Alabama basketball fans have been waiting months for Bediako to make up his mind. Initially, he planned to announce a decision in January, but that was pushed back to February and later to March.

As reported by Ball Durham, Bediako explained his delays by saying,

"I have been doing a lot of research…You’ve got to look at academics, the people you are going to be around, your teammates, and how you get along. It also really comes down to trust, someone you feel comfortable with…"

Duke coach, Mike Krzyzewski worked hard on bringing Bediako to Durham. The recruiting combination of Nate Oats and Bryan Hodgson proved to be too stiff competition for Coach K.

What is the Alabama Crimson Tide getting in Bediako? One thing is a true rim protector at 6-feet-11. The young man is still developing as a post player but he has length as well as height. He can dominate around the basket and with development will have added offense to go with his high-flyer game.

Check out these video highlights.

As is obvious in the video, he needs to bulk up some. When he does, Charles Bediako could develop into one of the Crimson Tide’s best big men ever. His potential is so obvious it explains why so many top programs tried to sign him.

Like Josh Primo, Bediako is Canadien. He is finishing his high school career at IMG Academy in Florida.