Charles Bediako gets TRO for Alabama return in NCAA lawsuit - ESPN

Former Alabama standout Charles Bediako, who entered the 2023 NBA draft and signed a two-way contract with the San Antonio Spurs that year, has been granted a temporary restraining order to return to the team and college basketball immediately, a judge ruled Wednesday.

Bediako, who went undrafted and never appeared in an NBA game after he played on two NCAA tournament teams at Alabama in 2021-22 and 2022-23, had sued the NCAA a day earlier after it denied the school's appeal to allow him to return to college basketball.

The judge's monumental ruling came hours after NCAA president Charlie Baker reiterated that Bediako and other players who've signed NBA contracts would not be granted eligibility to play college basketball.

The case could potentially reshape the sport in a turbulent time. While the NCAA has recently cleared international players with professional experience and G League players, those athletes had not previously played college basketball. This is the first time a player who entered an NBA draft and signed an NBA contract after playing college basketball has been given the chance to return to Division I basketball.

James H. Roberts Jr. of the Tuscaloosa (Alabama) Circuit Court ruled that Bediako «is immediately eligible» to participate in all team activities with the Crimson Tide. He also ruled that the NCAA is «restrained from threatening, imposing, attempting to impose, suggesting or implying any penalties or sanctions» against Bediako, Alabama, its coaches or players.

The temporary restraining order is valid for 10 days. A full hearing on Bediako's request for a preliminary injunction will happen Tuesday at 9 a.m.

In his initial complaint against the NCAA, Bediako cited the eligibility of Baylor center