Why Hurley Sides With MSU’s Izzo in Latest NCAA Fiasco
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Nobody seems to know what makes a player eligible or ineligible anymore.
The NCAA has lost more and more ground this season in that fight. Baylor added former NBA draft pick James Nnaji mid-season, and now another case has arisen in Alabama's Charles Bediako, who, controversially, was able to play on Saturday night during the Crimson Tide's game against Tennessee.
Bediako played at Alabama for two years during the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons. He then left school early, went undrafted during the 2023 NBA Draft, and has been playing in the NBA G League ever since. Nearly three years after leaving, despite having signed an NBA contract, Bediako was able to return to college basketball after being granted a temporary restraining order (which was reportedly granted by an Alabama donor). A preliminary injunction hearing is set for Tuesday.
Michigan State's Tom Izzo has placed himself in the forefront of cases like this. Other coaches are taking notice, including UConn head coach Dan Hurley, who recently won national titles in 2023 and 2024.
What Izzo said about Bediako
"Utterly ridiculous," Izzo said on Thursday. "And yet we have judges now doing it. We have Congress not jumping in. We have the NCAA with no say. So, it's the Wild, Wild West. So be prepared for anything.
"I'm just going to keep my guys. I'm going to keep being different. I'm going to keep my guys. I'm going to the transfer portal for sure in the spring. I'm going right to my locker room, and I'm going to try to keep every frickin' player I've got. How's that?"
Hurley's Acknowledgement
Hurley had his own questions as well. The try to show how unusual the situation is, he came up with what it may look like in football, which is largely insulated from situations like Bediako's because of the lack of a minor league.
"Can a player that only played three years in football [who] enters the NFL Draft, can they leave the Arena League next year and go play [college football again]?" Hurley said. "Can they leave the CFL next year? If somebody in the Big Ten needs a left tackle or something that gets hurt, can they pull a guy off a practice squad of an NFL team? Can a guy from the Browns next year come back and play left tackle somewhere?"
Hurley then acknowledged Izzo's presence in the ongoing discussion that is still shaping the future of college basketball and sports.
"The person, though, that has the most equity with me is Coach Izzo," Hurley said. "Because I think he's never been a cheater in recruiting, he's a coach's coach. I heard him say something, and I'm smart enough to listen to the best coach, for me, in the game in Coach Izzo."
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A 2025 graduate from Michigan State University, Cotsonika brings a wealth of experience covering the Spartans from Rivals and On3 to his role as Michigan State Spartans Beat Writer on SI. At Michigan State, he was also a member of the world-renowned Spartan marching band for two seasons.
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