New Hearing Date Set for Charles Bediako's Eligibility Case

The Alabama center's case has been rescheduled for Feb. 6 — one day before the Crimson Tide takes on Auburn in the Iron Bowl of Basketball.

Jan 24, 2026; Tuscaloosa, AL, USA; Alabama center Charles Bediako (14) scores at the rim against Tennessee at Coleman Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Gary Cosby Jr.-Tuscaloosa News | Gary Cosby Jr. / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Alabama center Charles Bediako's preliminary injunction hearing has been rescheduled for Feb. 6, per AL.com's Nick Kelly.

The hearing will be one day before the Crimson Tide's road matchup against Auburn in the Iron Bowl of Basketball.

Bediako sued the NCAA on Jan. 20 with hopes of returning to the Crimson Tide and Tuscaloosa County judge James Roberts granted him a 10-day restraining order, which allowed him to face Tennessee last Saturday.

He was supposed to have an injunction hearing before the Missouri game on Jan. 27, but due to the NCAA attorney being unable to travel due to the weather, it was postponed and Bediako was granted another 10 days of eligibility.

Nevertheless, Roberts recused himself from the case on Wednesday. TheNCAA requested on Monday night that Roberts recuse himself, as he is a six-figure donor to the University of Alabama.

“The NCAA has faith in the judicial process and does not currently contend the Court has an actual bias, partiality, or prejudice,” the NCAA said in a court document. “Similarly, the NCAA does not allege that any actual bias motivated the Court’s granting of a temporary restraining order.

"Instead, 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.”

“Courts in Alabama and beyond have widely recognized that a mere appearance of partiality is sufficient to require the recusal of a trial judge. This appearance can be compounded by widespread media and public scrutiny questioning the trial court’s impartiality. Despite the NCAA’s confidence that the Court can disregard his connections to the University of Alabama and its athletics programs, recusal is still necessary to protect these proceedings from an appearance of impropriety.”

Roberts has been replaced by Daniel Pruet, who is also the judge in Darius Miles' capital murder case. Pruet is a University of Alabama graduate and was the managing editor for the Law Review and recipient of the Ronald A. Canty Memorial Scholarship and the Justice Scholarship. He won first place in the J. Greg Allen Trial Competition and was a regional semi-finalist in the ATLA National Trial Competition.

During the loss to Tennessee, Bediako finished with 13 points, three rebounds and a pair of steals and blocks in 25 minutes. In the win over Missouri, Bediako finished with 14 points and six rebounds. That scoring total is tied for his second-most in an Alabama uniform.

During his 70 games (67 starts from 2021-23) in Tuscaloosa, Bediako averaged 6.6 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.7 blocks in 19.3 minutes per game. He was a member of the All-SEC Freshman Team during his first year and the conference's All-Defensive Team during his second year.

After not being selected in the 2023 NBA Draft, he went to the NBA G League. Bediako is currently a member of the Motor City Cruise, but spent 2023-24 with the Austin Spurs and 2024-25 with the Grand Rapids Gold. He never played in an NBA game.

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