Tennessee Vols appear set to face off against a professional basketball player on Saturday against Alabama
The latest theater of the absurd in college sports is set to debut on Saturday in Tuscaloosa.
College sports are going completely off the rails in a number of respects in the new Wild West, no rules (or so it feels like, anyways) collegiate athletics landscape that we live in nowadays.
And in the latest chapter, it looks like the Tennessee Vols are going to be playing an actual, flesh-and-blood professional basketball player on Saturday.
According to AL.com Crimson Tide beat writer Nick Kelly, former Crimson Tide player Charles Bediako was granted a temporary restraining order on Wednesday that will allow him to immediately play again. On3 Sports’ Pete Nakos posted a copy of the first page of the order on Twitter (X).
Tennessee set to face Alabama with NBA G League player Charles Bediako on Saturday
Although temporary in nature, the order makes it clear that Bediako is eligible play on Saturday, noting that he is “immediately eligible to participate in all team activities with the University of Alabama’s basketball program, including, but not limited to team meetings, practices, and games.”
And the reason he needs that order is because he’s been playing at the professional level for the last three seasons. He played for Alabama for two seasons from 2021-23 before declaring for the NBA Draft, where he went undrafted.
Although Bediako never appeared in an NBA game, he’s played three seasons in the NBA G League, which is the NBA’s minor league system. He played for the Austin Spurs from 2023-24, the Grand Rapids Gold from 2024-25, and the Motor City Cruise this season. All in all, he’s appeared in 37 professional games. While it’s not at the top NBA level, he still was acting as a pro player under contract with a team.
And for those perhaps questioning whether the G league is truly pro-level ball, this is the G League’s info under “about the league” on the league page (emphasis added):
“The NBA G League is the NBA’s official minor league, preparing players, coaches, officials, trainers, and front-office staff for the NBA while acting as the league’s research and development laboratory. The league offers elite professional basketball at an affordable price in a fun, family-friendly atmosphere. The 2025-26 NBA G League season is the league’s 25th season and features an expanded playoff field and 31 teams, 30 of which are affiliated with an NBA team.”
And now, he’s stepping back onto a college court. College sports really might be broken. Or at least college basketball, at the moment.
And to take the nonsense even further, per Kelly, it’s possible that Tennessee is the only game that Bediako gets to play, in the event a judge rules against him on the longer-term injunction next week.
A number of coaches have spoken out against the practice of getting professional players back to college. Michigan State’s Tom Izzo took public issue with Baylor’s Scott Drew bringing 2023 first round pick James Nnaji to Baylor. Kansas’ Bill Self criticized the rules and the rule makers for allowing this to happen. And it appears Alabama’s Nate Oats is also content to play by the supposed rules, even if he, Drew, and others really shouldn’t be.
Whoever’s fault it is, it won’t matter on Saturday in Tuscaloosa, as Tennessee will likely have to try to find their way back in the win column with a seven-foot pro player guarding the rim.
Just another day in the life of the insane world of college sports we’re all trying to figure out.
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