The 'Classiest Moves' Ole Miss Head Coach Chris Beard Made Before Facing Alabama

Crimson Tide head coach Nate Oats shares that Beard told the Rebels' cheering section not to boo Charles Bediako and also wrote the former Alabama center a note.

Jan 24, 2026; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Mississippi Rebels head coach Chris Beard reacts to a call made by a referee during the second half against the Kentucky Wildcats at Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images | Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

Alabama cruised past Ole Miss 93-74 on the road on Wednesday evening after a dominant showing in the second half.

It was the Crimson Tide's first game since Charles Bediako was denied eligibility following his injunction hearing. This has become the biggest story in college sports over the past few weeks and countless analysts, coaches and fans have voiced negative opinions on the former Alabama center and head coach Nate Oats.

But that can't be said for Ole Miss head coach Chris Beard. Before talking about the Crimson Tide's winning performance during the postgame press conference, Oats shared a commendable move that Beard made on Tuesday evening.

"Some of the opposing coaches understand that we are dealing with a human, a young man that obviously is disappointed," Oats said. "The system's broken as we know it, and he's a victim of a broken system. But he's still a human and a young man.

"So on my drive over yesterday afternoon, I get a call from coach Beard. You know, a coach Beard. I said, 'What's up?' He goes, 'Is Bediako with you?' I said, 'No, we decided to leave him home, and we didn't want him to have to go through the stuff he's had to go through on the road.

"And he said, 'Look, I assure you, that's not happening here. I've already met with the cheering section, everything's going to be positive here. He won't get any of that here.' So major respect to him for that."

Florida and Auburn, Alabama's two road contests during Bediako's five-game tenure, had fans chanting "G League dropout," and berating him every time the 23-year-old touched the ball. Beard assured Oats that it would not happen in Oxford, Miss.

But Beard didn't stop there.

"Then he said, 'I also got something I want you to give [Bediako].' He came to our shootaround last night, he handed me a note took a picture and sent it to Charles. I'll give it to him in person when we get back. It was one of the most classy notes to a kid from an opposing coach, and it doesn't happen often. But one of the classiest moves I've ever seen, and he didn't do it to get any recognition.

"But it basically [said], 'On the other side of adversity and difficulty is what fuels you on the success.' He's pulling for him. It's not his fault that there's no clarity in the rules. I thought it was extremely well-written, thoughtful thing for an opposing coach to do that understands that we're still coaching young men. This is not an object we're dealing with. It's a young man with a basketball career in front of them, with an educational career in front of him.

"Coach Beard understands it, and you guys are super, super lucky to have him at Ole Miss. I respect coach Beard a lot."

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