"Bediako played two seasons at Alabama in 2021-22 and 2022-23 before leaving early for the NBA draft. He went undrafted and never played in an NBA game, spending the last three seasons playing for three different G League teams, suiting up as recently as last weekend for the Motor City Cruise. He sued the NCAA for immediate reinstatement after the organization denied Alabama's appeal for his return."
"Oats pointed out that Bediako is still within the five-year window of his high school graduation and compared his situation to the numerous former European professionals that have been cleared to play college basketball. "Since the NCAA has already allowed professionals to play -- virtually every team we've played this year or will play has a former professional player on their roster -- you tell me how I'm supposed to tell Charles and the team that we're not going to support them when he's been deemed legally eligible to play," Oats said."
"Unlike the former pros who were granted eligibility by the NCAA -- including Baylor's James Nnaji, the first drafted player to be given eligibility in men's college basketball -- Bediako signed a two-way deal with multiple NBA teams, and the NCAA has previously given that as its line in the sand when it comes to eligibility."
Nate Oats confirmed Charles Bediako will play for Alabama against Tennessee after a court granted a temporary restraining order allowing immediate reinstatement. Bediako played at Alabama in 2021-22 and 2022-23, left early for the NBA draft, went undrafted, and spent the past three seasons with multiple G League teams, most recently the Motor City Cruise. He sued the NCAA for immediate reinstatement after the organization denied Alabama's appeal. Oats said Bediako remains within the five-year post-high-school window and compared his eligibility situation to international former professionals who have been cleared to play. The NCAA has previously cited two-way deals as an eligibility boundary.
Read at ESPN.com
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