Alabama’s Charles Bediako is trying to give the Tennessee Vols deja vu ahead of their return clash on Saturday
The Tennessee Vols can’t quite seem to fully get past Alabama’s on again, off again big man.
It’s the case that just won’t die, even if it’s likely on its last leg.
Alabama center Charles Bediako, whose name has taken center stage in national news for his temporary return to college basketball from the NBA G League, has not yet given up his fight to return to college basketball for the rest of the 2025-26 season. And if he gets his way at the last minute, the Tennessee Vols would again be first up in the in the crosshairs.
According to AL.com beat writer Nick Kelly, Bediako is attempting to get the Alabama Supreme Court to hear his emergency appeal of the denial by the trial court of his request for an injunction in his lawsuit against the NCAA to restore his eligibility. And he’s trying to get it heard by Friday so he can play on Saturday against the Vols.
(Former?) Alabama center Charles Bediako is attempting to get his emergency appeal heard by the AL Supreme Court in time to play against Vols on Saturday
“Bediako respectfully requests a ruling from the Court by Friday, February 27,” AL.com quotes the motion filed by Bediako’s attorneys on Tuesday to read. “If the Court grants his motion, this timeline would allow Bediako to play in three of four remaining regular-season games (beginning Saturday, February 28, against the University of Tennessee).”
We truly have reached absurd levels of surreality here, as it’s difficult to know whether to qualify Bediako as former or current, or kind of both.
After all, he played just last month against the Vols in Tuscaloosa, totaling 13 points, three rebounds, and two blocks. He played in four more games after that. But he was ultimately denied an injunction earlier this month after the judge who issued the first temporary restraining order recused himself from the case.
While nothing is impossible in the legal world, it’s unlikely that Bediako will be successful with his appeal. In most states, trial judges are given wide leeway in their decisions on injunctions that appellate courts won’t disturb absent a major mistake.
If Bediako does end up somehow playing, the Vols have already shown they can win with him on the floor, as they proved in their 79-73 win over the Crimson Tide back on January 24.
Tennessee and Alabama are set to square off on Saturday night in Knoxville at 6:00 pm ET, with the game being broadcast on ESPN.
Tennessee Volunteers News
Tennessee CB Jermod McCoy makes an extremely bold statement at the NFL Combine about crucial Vols defender for 2026
The former Vols standout sees big things next season from his Tennessee teammate.
