Judge rules Charles Bediako no longer eligible to play for Alabama - ESPN

Alabama basketball player Charles Bediako's college career is over once again after an Alabama circuit judge denied his motion for a preliminary injunction on Monday, ending the 7-footer center's season with the Crimson Tide.

County Circuit Court Judge Daniel F. Pruet halted Bediako's bid to regain eligibility after he left Alabama for the NBA draft in 2023, signed a two-way NBA contract and played the last three seasons in the G League — moves that disqualified him from collegiate competition, according to the NCAA.

Pruet ruled that Bediako did not have a «reasonable expectation» that he would be allowed to return to college basketball when no other player had been granted eligibility under the same circumstances.

NCAA president Charlie Baker said in a statement that he was glad the court «upheld the rules of our members.»

«Common sense won a round today,» Baker said. «The court saw this for what it is: an attempt by professionals to pivot back to college and crowd out the next generation of students. College sports are for students, not for people who already walked away to go pro and now want to hit the 'undo' button at the expense of a teenager's dream. While we're glad the court upheld the rules our members actually want, one win doesn't fix the national mess of state laws. It's time for Congress to stop watching from the sidelines and help us provide some actual stability.»

Bediako, who was averaging 10.0 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.4 blocks in five games with Alabama this season, was given a first-of-its-kind second chance to play college basketball last month when another judge granted him a temporary restraining order.

That ruling allowed him to join Alabama in the middle of the season — three years after he'd