The highly anticipated preliminary injunction hearing in the Charles Bediako case finally took place on Friday morning at the Tuscaloosa County Circuit Court. It lasted roughly an hour and 15 minutes and no decision was rendered. Judge Daniel Pruet said that he will rule on the matter “soon”, but no explicit timetable was provided. Each side has until 4 p.m. CT today to submit proposed orders.
In the event that no ruling is made today, Bediako would be eligible to play for Alabama in tomorrow’s rivalry game against Auburn.
Bediako has challenged the NCAA’s eligibility ruling that bars him from playing in college after signing an NBA contract. If Pruet rules in Bediako’s favor, the 23-year-old will be permitted to compete for the Tide for the remainder of the 2025-26 season. Such a verdict would also encourage other athletes in similar positions to fight for eligibility. Former UCLA guard Amari Bailey, who has appeared in NBA games, is aiming to return to college basketball for the 2026-27 campaign. Bailey reportedly set up his first official recruiting visit to Grand Canyon University.
According to 247Sports reporter Mike Rodak, who was present for the hearing, Bediako’s attorney David Holt argued that if Bediako loses the injunction he “may never have the opportunity to compete again” and would lose the chance to complete his degree because the cost of remaining in school without a scholarship would be “prohibitive.” Holt said that Bediako could possibly return to the NBA G League, where he’s played for the last few years, but that it wasn’t a certainty. Bediako has apparently earned $530,000 since turning pro in 2023, Holt told Pruet.
NCAA attorney Taylor Askew argued that the case is “about money,” not academics, and that Bediako would have other opportunities to play not at Alabama. Askew also said that granting the injunction would do harm to the NCAA as it would lead to “50 more lawsuits” and increased chaos.
A 7-foot center, Bediako has been playing for Alabama under a temporary restraining order granted by Judge Jim Roberts, who recused himself from the case following reports that he was a donor to UA. Through four games, Bediako is averaging 9.5 points and 5.0 rebounds in 21.5 minutes. The big man previously played for the Tide from 2021-23 before declaring for the NBA draft. He went undrafted but signed a two-way contract with the San Antonio Spurs and has suited up for three different G League teams over the past three seasons.
Bediako filed the lawsuit after the NCAA denied Alabama’s request to reinstate his eligibility. As Hoops HQ legal expert Noah Henderson outlined here, the NCAA did so because its bylaws treat completion of the NBA draft process and the signing of an NBA contract after full-time collegiate enrollment as grounds for permanent loss of eligibility.
A day after suing the NCAA, Bediako received a 10-day TRO from Roberts and began suiting up for the Tide. The TRO was extended an additional 10 days because the first preliminary injunction hearing was postponed due to weather issues.
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In advance of Friday’s hearing, the NCAA filed a motion opposing injunction. “This Court should decline to forever change the landscape of high school, collegiate, and professional sports through grant of a preliminary injunction based upon a sparse record and upon causes of action that — at best — questionably apply to the facts of this case,” the motion read. “Such a decision should be based on a well-developed record after the completion of discovery — not a self-serving, minimalist, verified complaint from one basketball player seeking substantial short-term financial gain through his participation in the remainder of the current basketball season.”
Furthermore, SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey penned an affidavit supporting the NCAA’s cause. “I respectfully ask the court to uphold the NCAA eligibility rules challenged in this case, which are essential to the integrity of college sports, to the educational mission they serve, and to the opportunities they provide for current and future student-athletes,” Sankey wrote.
Darren Heitner, one of Bediako’s attorneys, responded to Sankey’s affidavit in a post on X: “Greg Sankey’s emphasis on the need for consistent application of eligibility rules to avoid disruption in college sports is contradicted by the NCAA’s own recent practices. As evidenced by multiple eligibility grants, the NCAA has waived similar rules for former professional athletes, including Thierry Darlan, Abdullah Ahmed, James Nnaji, and Fedor Zugic. These waivers demonstrate selective enforcement, undermining Sankey’s assertion that inconsistent application fuels disruption.”
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