A familiar face is returning to the Alabama basketball court. This week, Charles Bediako, who left for the pros in 2023, won a legal battle to rejoin the Crimson Tide. A judge let the 7-foot player play even though the NCAA didn’t want him to. This set up a showdown that could change the rules for college basketball players who want to return to school. After the court’s decision, Alabama’s athletic department made its first public statement about what was happening.

“The University of Alabama supports Charles and his ongoing efforts to be reinstated for competition while he works to complete his degree,” the department said in an email sent Wednesday. The measured statement shows that the institution supports Bediako’s return while also recognizing the academic part of his quest for eligibility.

The assistance comes even though Bediako’s case has a lot of problems. In his first 70 games with Alabama, the former All-SEC Defensive Team player averaged 6.6 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks. He started 67 games and shot an impressive 68% from the field in both seasons, which helped the Crimson Tide reach the Sweet 16 in 2023. Those numbers show the kind of defense Alabama wants to get back to, since the team has been having trouble on defense this season.

The NCAA didn’t wait long to respond, and it did so with a harsh statement on social media. The NCAA said in a statement, “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. A judge telling the NCAA to let a former NBA player play against real college student-athletes on Saturday is exactly why Congress needs to step in and give college sports the power to enforce our eligibility rules.”

Bediako signed three Exhibit 10 contracts with NBA teams after not being picked in the 2023 draft. He played for several G-League teams, and most recently with the Motor City Cruise, he averaged five points and five rebounds in 14 minutes per game. The temporary restraining order gives him 10 days to play before a hearing on January 27 decides what will happen to him in the long term. This could mean that he can play against Tennessee this Saturday.

Charles Bediako could solve Alabama basketball’s biggest problem

Bediako’s clearance couldn’t have come at a better time for Alabama or a worse time for Tennessee. The Crimson Tide is 13-5 going into this game and is looking for defensive answers that could make their season better. The Volunteers, on the other hand, are dealing with their own problems as they arrive in Tuscaloosa. They have had problems with turnovers and mental mistakes all season. Coach Rick Barnes had a whole week to get ready, but now he has to deal with something unexpected.

Bediako changes Alabama’s frontcourt right away. The 7-foot, 225-pound center spent three years improving his skills in professional basketball. Most recently, he averaged 8.8 points and 7.1 rebounds per game with the Grand Rapids Gold. Tennessee doesn’t have any recent video of how he fits into Alabama’s current system, which makes it hard for them to prepare just days before the game.

His return fixes Alabama’s biggest problem this season. Bediako made a name for himself by being good at defensive rebounding and being present in the paint, which is where the Crimson Tide has had trouble. He is very good at grabbing offensive boards and protecting the rim. His intensity changes how opponents attack the paint.

The past is important in this case. Bediako was a key part of Alabama’s defense during the 2022–23 season, when the team had the third-best defensive efficiency in the country. Alabama wants to get that kind of effect back, even if it’s only for 10 days before the next court hearing decides whether this comeback story goes on or ends suddenly.

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