The Alabama Crimson Tide is going through a tough phase right now. The team is already facing criticism for adding Charles Bediako, who returned to the program from the NBA G-League. And now, if that wasn’t enough, its performance has also come under scrutiny, with its latest blowout loss against the Florida Gators.

Alabama lost 100-77, and the result means Alabama has fallen out of the Top 25 AP rankings, ending its 42-week streak of being featured in the rankings. Head Coach Nate Oats joined The Field of 68: After Dark podcast to talk about Alabama’s performance while also explaining his thoughts on the Charles Bediako situation.

Oats highlighted the differential treatment of players coming into other college programs when compared to Charles Bediako. He pointed at European players joining college programs with full eligibility despite having prior professional experience.

“I just think you do what’s best for your guys every time. What’s best for Charles is that you play, and anybody who thinks this thing through logically to see all the former European pros that are now playing, it made sense for Charles, and it was what’s best for him, was what’s best for our program.”

In their latest win over Texas A&M, the opponents were fielding Rashaun Agee, another player who gained eligibility through the Texas court after having played college basketball earlier for the same college, putting him in a similar position to Charles Bediako. To add to it, James Nnaji’s arrival at the Baylor Bears is more astounding considering his rights were still owned by an NBA franchise.

Oats has a point about European players, too. There are players arriving after playing professional basketball in Europe and being granted full years of eligibility, essentially coming into college programs as a freshman.

On the other hand, Bediako is one of the rare American players coming back to play college basketball and is doing so while still having time remaining on the five-year NCAA window prescribed.

Court rejects Charles Bediako’s request to delay the February 6 hearing

Charles Bediako filed a suit on January 20 against the NCAA’s denial of Alabama’s internal request to grant the player eligibility to compete in men’s college basketball. Judge Jim Roberts handed Bediako a TRO, making him instantly eligible while legal proceedings continue away from the basketball court.

The judge later extended the TRO further before recusing himself upon the NCAA’s request after the revelation of his being an active donor of the Crimson Tide Foundation. The hearing is now scheduled for February 6, and he has already played four games for the Alabama Crimson Tide. Alabama currently boasts a 2-2 record with Bediako on its active roster.

However, Bediako had reportedly asked for the hearing to be pushed by a few more days, asking it to be rescheduled to somewhere between the 16th and 18th of the month. This would have allowed Bediako to play against Auburn, Ole Miss, and South Carolina before the announcement of a decision.

New presiding judge Daniel Pruet has rejected the request, meaning the decision of the hearing will shape how Alabama lines up against Auburn on the 7th of February. With Nate Oats highlighting other players with a similar backstory being able to play college basketball, it could aid Bediako’s chances of gaining eligibility to represent the Crimson Tide this season.