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One other former skilled basketball participant has gone again to high school.
Charles Bediako, who has already spent a number of seasons within the G League, performed in his first sport again with Alabama throughout their 79-73 loss in opposition to Tennessee on Saturday night time.
Bediako completed the sport with 13 factors on 5-of-6 taking pictures, together with two steals and two blocks in 25 minutes off the bench.
The 23-year-old was granted a short lived restraining order on Wednesday which in the end made him eligible to return to school basketball instantly, making him the primary participant to return to the NCAA after beforehand signing an NBA contract.
“We’re planning to play him,” Alabama head coach Nate Oats stated of Bediako on Friday, per ESPN. “He’s eligible to play. We’re going to observe the courtroom orders.”
Bediako, a 7-foot-3 middle, had beforehand spent two seasons taking part in for the Crimson Tide in 2021-22 and 2022-23 earlier than leaving the varsity for the NBA Draft.
He in the end went undrafted and by no means performed in an NBA sport, however he did spend the previous three seasons on three totally different G League groups, and signing two-way contracts with them.
Bediako has most lately suited up for the Piston’s G-League affiliate, Motor Metropolis Cruise, earlier this month.
Oats famous that Bediako continues to be within the five-year window of his highschool commencement, evaluating his state of affairs to European gamers who’ve performed professionally earlier than being cleared to play faculty basketball.
“For the reason that NCAA has already allowed professionals to play — just about each group we’ve performed this 12 months or will play has a former skilled participant on their roster — you inform me how I’m supposed to inform Charles and the group that we’re not going to help them when he’s been deemed legally eligible to play,” Oats stated.
Throughout his first stint in Alabama, Bediako was named to the SEC All-Freshman group, and later averaged 6.4 factors and 6.0 rebounds throughout his sophomore marketing campaign for the Crimson Tide.
Bediako’s return to school basketball comes after James Nnaji of Baylor made his NCAA return earlier this month after being drafted by the Hornets with the No. 31 decide within the 2023 NBA Draft.
Regardless of being an NBA draft choice, Nnaji by no means signed with a group, which is what in the end made him eligible for faculty basketball.
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