Charles Bediako has sparked a massive controversy in college basketball with his return to Alabama. Bediako represented the Crimson Tide from 2021 to 2023. Then he went to the NBA Draft, where he remained undrafted.
In October 2023, he signed a two-way contract with the San Antonio Spurs but was waived two months later after he suffered a torn meniscus. It’s worth noting that Bediako never played for the Spurs.
However, he did play 11 games for the Austin Spurs before joining the Grand Rapids Gold, another G League team. Bediako last played for the Detroit Pistons’ G League team, Motor City Cruise, in 2025. Now, he is back to college basketball.
His return has divided college football fans between those who are welcoming him and those who are strictly against it, as it sets a terrible precedent for the future. Bruce Pearl falls in the latter category.
On a recent episode of Big East College Basketball on TNT Sports, Pearl stated that the college athletes are given a choice to either enter the draft or maintain their college eligibility. Bediako has completely flipped the script.
Pearl doesn’t believe in going to court in this matter. He thinks that it’s not going to provide the desired result. He has a solution for it, which might be extreme, but it has the potential to make an impact.
“If teams in the SEC say, ‘You know what, there’s an eligible player there, we’re not playing. We’re just not gonna play against…We’re willing to forfeit. That would create enough noise,” Pearl said.
In his opinion, the teams that have a problem with Bediako being in the Alabama lineup must forfeit their future games against the program and send a clear message. Only then will they be able to find a good solution for this.
Jamal Mashburn Also Criticized Charles Bediako
Adding to Pearl’s comment, former NBA All-Star Jamal Mashburn stated that teams must take the extreme route to put an end to this drama. In his opinion, once their revenue takes a hit, they’ll immediately provide the right solution.
Mashburn also set the record straight by saying that the G League is professional basketball. So, even if Bediako never officially played for an NBA team, he is a player with professional basketball experience, which gives him an unfair advantage over college athletes.
In addition to that, Marshburn also criticized Bediako for taking away an opportunity from a high school or college athlete who would’ve received an offer in his position from Alabama.
Amid all the controversies surrounding his name, Bediako made his season debut for the Crimson Tide today against the Tennessee Volunteers. Coming off the bench, he played 25 minutes for 13 points and three rebounds in a 73-79 home loss for his team.
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