Charles Bediako granted restraining order against NCAA, immediately eligible for Bama

Alabama just made a major roster move to bolster its frontcourt in the most unlikely of ways.

Former Tide center Charles Bediako, who last played for Alabama during the 2022-23 season, was granted a temporary restraining order against the NCAA by Tuscaloosa County judge James Roberts on Wednesday. That ruling makes Bediako immediately eligible to participate in practices and games for Alabama:

Charles Bediako is eligible to play for Alabama

Bediako left college to enter the 2023 NBA Draft with two years of eligibility remaining. He went undrafted but signed several Two-Way and Exhibit 10 contracts with the NBA, though he never played in an NBA game.

The NCAA initially ruled Bediako wouldn't be eligible for a return to college basketball because he signed an NBA contract, but their arbitrary enforcement of rules was unlikely to hold up in court. Bediako sued the NCAA, and the TRO will make him eligible to play for the Crimson Tide as early as Saturday's game against Tennessee in Tuscaloosa.

Included in Judge Roberts' ruling is important wording, in case the NCAA fights back and Bediako is ultimately ruled ineligible down the road:

"The Defendant, National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), INC, is further restrained from threatening, imposing, attempting to impose, suggesting, or implying any penalties or sanctions on Mr. Bediako or the University of Alabama or its coaches or other student-athletes as a result of Mr. Bediako's participation in Division I athletics competition under the Rule of Restitution (NCAA Bylaw 12.11.4.2) or otherwise."

Simply put: the NCAA can't retoractively rule that Alabama played an ineligible player down the line and force them to forgeit games and/or bar them from the NCAA Tournament as a result.

The temporary restraining order will remain in effect until a hearing on the motion for a preliminary injunction is held on January 27th. That hearing will determine whether Bediako is eligible for the remainder of the season or not.

For now, Bediako can play on Saturday against Tennessee and will help fortify Alabama's frontcourt depth, at least for one game.

Alabama has been missing depth in the frontcourt with injuries to Keitenn Bristow and Taylor Bol Bowen, along with the general ineffectiveness of Bucknell transfer Noah Williamson. Bediako solidifies that, giving the Crimson Tide a powerful defensive anchor behind Aiden Sherrell.