The saga of Charles Bediako and the legal tussle with collegiate eligibility was finally concluded on Tuesday. Judge Daniel F. Pruet ruled that Bediako’s return to college after signing three NBA G League contracts isn’t a textbook approach, barring the latter from further participation. While the decision is being seen as just and fair, Alabama head coach Nate Oats has shared a two-cent take on this legal battle, which, in turn, didn’t please a veteran TNT analyst.

Oats’ pre-game press conference ahead of the Ole Miss game sparked a fresh conversation. Reacting to a question over Bediako’s legal ruling, Oats boldly claimed that the critics should have studied the situation a bit more. He pointed out that the resources and facilities provided by college teams are superior to those offered by the NBA G League. This discrepancy may explain why many G League players choose to return to college, as per him. But former NBA player and TNT analyst Jamal Mashburn feels otherwise.

“He’s selling a lot there,” Mashburn said, reacting to Oats’ press conference. “He’s selling a lot. From what he said, the money’s better, you’re not going to become a better pro by going down to play college. It just doesn’t happen. The pro game is a different game. I’m pretty much tired of this particular subject at this point. Rules are rules.”

For Mashburn, the implication is clear: Bediako has signed a two-way contract with the San Antonio Spurs, indicating he is no longer eligible for college basketball. There’s no two-way side to it for the 2003 NBA All-Star.

“The kid went pro and is trying to come back to school, for whatever reason, NIL money or scholarship reasons. He gave up the eligibility, that’s the bottom line,” Mashburn added. “I know he’s trying to win games, and I understand what Nate Oats is trying to do, but that’s just a bunch of nonsense right there, comparing G League and college.”

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Oats’ financial perspective on college basketball does have some justification, though. With the advent of NIL, the ceiling has risen to a different level. Through NIL, college athletes can earn up to $1 million compared to the average salary in the NBA G League around $40,000-$50,000.But despite that, the difference lies on a broader scale: G League is for the pros, and NCAA Men’s basketball is for college athletes.

The legal situation is not over yet. Bediako’s attorney has hinted that they will appeal their case further. However, for now, the headline is that Oats and Alabama will be without Bediako for the rest of the season.

Bediako had a positive impact on the team upon his return. They won three out of five games with the 7-footer averaging 10.0 points. 4.6 rebounds and 2.0 blocks. The team currently stands at 16-7, 6-4, following a two-game winning streak. Nate Oats now faces the challenge of maintaining momentum while ensuring the ruling does not distract his team.

Nate Oats Shares a Positive Anecdote on Alabama’s Ceiling Without Charles Bediako

The party that could have gotten a major win if the Charles Bediako hearing had gone in its favor was Nate Oats and the Alabama Crimson Tide. For Oats, Bediako was a trump card on offense and a rim-protector. His presence on the court brought physicality and experience to Alabama. Combine that with the prowess of starters like Labaron Philon Jr., Amari Allen, and Aden Holloway, and you get a roster that raises the team’s March Madness ceiling immensely.

However, with Bediako now left out, the question is: How does Alabama look forward to their short-term ceiling without the Alabama center? Nate Oats has an optimistic answer. He emphasized that his team has been missing players in several stretches of the season, suggesting he would approach Bediako’s absence in the same way.

“If the five games that he did play impacted our resume, then all the guys we played without, I can go down the entire list where we lost, where they could have impacted,” Oats said. “You think about Vanderbilt, we didn’t have Aiden Sherrell and Labaron Philon Jr. I mean, you go down the list of every game we’ve played, we didn’t have guys available for the entire game or large parts of the game.”

The assessment mattered as it gave Oats and Alabama’s mindset towards the season without Bediako. The Alabama head coach is ready to tinker with his approach and is not at all hiding behind Bediako’s absence. It would be interesting to see Alabama take the field finally without a chip on their shoulders. They would look to win and retaliate without Bediako, and they hope to begin it from their next game against Ole Miss on Wednesday.