A new judge will rule on the fate of Alabama center Charles Bediako’s college eligibility.
On Wednesday, Judge Jim Roberts recused himself from Bediako’s case against the NCAA, two days after the governing body filed a motion seeking his removal from the case. Roberts and his wife are listed as active donors on the Crimson Tide Foundation’s website with lifetime contributions between $100,000 and $249,000. Roberts’ wife, Mary Turner, is also an attorney representing Darius Miles, Bediako’s former teammate, in a capital murder trial.
“The NCAA contends that proceeding in this Court has created an impermissible appearance of impropriety because of the intense media scrutiny and public speculation surrounding the Court’s relationship with the University of Alabama and its athletics programs and student-athletes,” the motion said.
Bediako’s legal team did not oppose the recusal when it was filed. The case will be reassigned.
A week ago, Roberts granted Bediako a temporary restraining order that let the former pro return to Alabama, where he played from 2021 to 2023. He declared for the NBA draft in 2023. Bediako went unselected, but signed a two-way contract with the Spurs the same year. He never played in an NBA game, but was playing for the Pistons’ G League affiliate as recently as Jan. 17.
Bediako sued the NCAA after the governing body wouldn’t grant him college eligibility for another season. He played in his first game back with Alabama on Saturday, scoring 13 points in a loss to Tennessee. His case could have significant ramifications to college basketball because it could pave the way for players who signed NBA contracts to go back to school; it could also render the draft deadline meaningless and lead to a two-way flow of players between college and pro basketball.
A hearing to rule on the preliminary injunction Roberts originally granted scheduled for Jan. 27 was delayed due to “weather issues” after an NCAA lawyer couldn’t make it to court. The delay extended the injunction by 10 days, granting Bediako at least three more games for the Tide. Bediako played in his second game since the Jan. 20 ruling, scoring 14 points in 18 minutes in a 90–64 blowout win over Missouri on Tuesday.
Alabama is currently ranked No. 23 overall in the AP Poll and will play at Florida on Sunday. A new hearing on the injunction will not be scheduled until Roberts is replaced in the case.
