Alabama has had very few allies regarding the Charles Bediako situation. Nate Oats and Bediako himself have faced significant criticism since Alabama allowed Bediako to return to the Crimson Tide and play five games under a temporary restraining order against the NCAA.
Bediako's second stint with Alabama came to an end when a Tuscaloosa County judge denied his request for a preliminary injunction, which made Bediako ineligible to play once again.
He hasn't played since, but there's still been a consistent stream of criticism coming in for Alabama. Criticism that has largely ignored every other professional player currently playing college basketball and drawn an arbitrary line because Bediako played college basketball in the past.
It's that point that has never made sense, and it's why Bediako had a legitimate case against the NCAA.
If there's any college basketball analyst who is equipped to discuss the situation, it's Jay Bilas. Not only is Bilas one of the foremost college basketball authorities, he's also a licensed attorney.
Bilas joined ESPN's Pardon the Interruption on Monday and talked about the Bediako situation, offering a layered and well-thought-out take.
"I think we've got an issue where the NCAA doesn't have any eligibility rules that are based on any principle," Bilas said. ..."We have similarly situated players that are treated differently. You have international players that never matriculated to college, but played pro basketball and made a lot of money, and they're eligible. You've got players, international in nature, that didn't go to college but went through the draft, and the NCAA deems them eligible. I don't see a major difference between Charles Bediako and those players, except for the fact that he went to school.
"I have a little bit of a problem with the way that this has been handled. Certainly, the way that it has been criticized. Charles Bediako didn't do anything wrong. He just wants to go to school and play ball. I'm not sure that Alabama did anything wrong either, honestly. He got a court ruling, they let him play while the court said he was eligible. They're not playing him when the court ruled that he's not."
Jay Bilas says Charles Bediako, Alabama, 'didn't do anything wrong.'
It's certainly refreshing to hear someone with Bilas's platform come out with a logical and well-thought-out take. Bilas has no preconceived bias in his take: he's not a fan of Alabama, nor is he a fan of a Tide rival. He's just a basketball analyst who is looking at this with logic and reason.
Bilas' background as an attorney certainly influences his viewpoint. Because any attorney who has looked at the Bediako case comes away with the same thought: why is there an arbitrary line being drawn for some professional players and not others?
Oats and Alabama said Baylor's addition of James Nnaji was the tipping point for them to pursue Bediako's eligibility. Nnaji didn't play college basketball, but he was in the same draft class as Bediako and was actually drafted with the first pick of the 2nd round. He was even part of an NBA trade!
There's no logic for Nnaji being eligible and Bediako not.
Bilas has a prominent voice, enough that what he says could partially swing public perception. Auburn fans, and hypocritical former coaches, will continue to beat the drum against Alabama.
But the criticism belongs at the feet of the NCAA.