Former Alabama men’s basketball player Charles Bediako is “immediately eligible” to return to playing for the school three years after he entered the 2023 NBA Draft, an Alabama judge ruled Wednesday.
Bediako, 23, was granted a temporary restraining order against the NCAA by Tuscaloosa County Circuit Court judge James H. Roberts, [AL.com](https://www.al.com/alabamabasketball/2026/01/charles-bediako-granted-temporary-restraining-order-to-return-to-alabama-mens-basketball.html) reports. Roberts ruled that the order, which is in effect for 10 days, restrains the NCAA “from threatening, imposing, attempting to impose, suggesting or implying any penalties or sanctions” against Bediako, Alabama, its players or coaches.
The ruling comes one day after Bediako filed a lawsuit against the NCAA after the organization previously denied his appeal to return to playing college basketball.
A hearing on the preliminary injunction is scheduled for Jan. 27 at 9 a.m. local time.
Bediako, a 7-foot center, played two seasons at Alabama from 2021-23, where he averaged 6.6 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.7 blocks in 19.3 minutes per game. He declared for the 2023 NBA Draft, but went undrafted and later joined the San Antonio Spurs on a two-way contract, which made him eligible to play for the Spurs or the team’s G-League affiliate Austin Spurs.
Bediako played in 44 G-League games across three seasons from 2023-26 for the Spurs, Grand Rapids Gold and Motor City Cruise – but he never appeared in an NBA game.
“The University of Alabama supports Charles and his ongoing efforts to be reinstated for competition while he works to complete his degree,” Alabama said in a statement Wednesday.
The NCAA, meanwhile, issued a statement opposing Judge Roberts’ 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,” the NCAA said Wednesday. “A judge ordering the NCAA let a former NBA player take the court Saturday against actual college student-athletes is exactly why Congress must step in and empower college sports to enforce our eligibility rules.”
Bediako’s case comes weeks after former Baylor center James Nnaji was cleared by a judge last month to return to college basketball despite being selected 31st overall in the 2023 NBA Draft. In Nnaji, like Bediako, never played in an NBA game.
“The NCAA’s recent reinstatement of James Nnaji, along with other European professional players, has shown that its current application of eligibility rules favor players who have competed internationally over athletes who have pursued domestic opportunities,” Bediako stated in his lawsuit against the NCAA. “Despite being selected 31st overall in the NBA Draft, Nnaji was recently reinstated and will have four seasons of NCAA eligibility. This, despite Nnaji playing professionally for at least three seasons in Europe, including two for powerhouse FC Barcelona. The NCAA’s rules also create an entirely arbitrary distinction between student athletes who go directly from high school to professional competition and those who initially enroll in college, later leave for the draft, and then seek to return.”