Alabama coach Nate Oats said bringing back Charles Bediako was '100%' worth it despite ineligibility ruling after 5 games

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Nate Oats insists he would make the same call “100 times out of 100.”

Even though Charles Bediako’s second Crimson Tide stint lasted only five games before a federal judge overturned the temporary restraining order that had briefly restored his eligibility, Alabama’s head coach remains resolute that welcoming the 7-foot center back to campus was the correct decision.

“I would do the same thing 100 times out of 100 for any of our guys it would have made sense to do it with,” Oats told AL.com’s Nick Kelly after Monday’s ruling ended Bediako’s season—and likely his college career.

Bediako, who last played for Alabama in 2022-23 before declaring for the 2023 NBA Draft and spending the past year-and-a-half in the G League, filed suit against the NCAA in January. A state-court judge granted a temporary restraining order that cleared him to re-enroll and suit up for the Tide. He debuted shortly afterward, helping Alabama post a 3-2 record while averaging 10.0 points and 4.6 rebounds.

The comeback unraveled Monday when a different judge dissolved the restraining order and declared Bediako ineligible once more. The development came after revelations that the original judge—since removed from the case—is an active donor to Alabama athletics.

Despite the setback, Oats framed the move as a matter of principle.

“There was an opportunity to help one of our former players out,” he said. “He was within his five-year window. He’s trying to get his degree. My job as a head coach is to try to do the right thing by our guys. Charles is one of our guys.”

Bediako’s legal team blasted the ruling, though with only eight regular-season games remaining it is unclear whether further appeals will be pursued.

Alabama, now 16-7 and fifth in the SEC standings, issued a statement expressing disappointment and calling for consistency from decision-makers. The school noted that more than 100 current men’s basketball players have prior professional experience in the G League or overseas, arguing that selective eligibility determinations “create the havoc we are currently in.”

Oats used Bediako’s experience to highlight a growing trend: professional players seeking a return to college basketball.

“There’s a reason … there’s a lot of G League players trying to come back to college,” he said. “The money’s a lot better. The development is a lot better. You get a full-time dietician, full-time strength coach, you’re not traveling on commercial flights, spending all your time in airports, not being able to develop.”

The coach added that Bediako had actually lost weight since turning pro and that Alabama’s staff planned to help him regain both strength and academic momentum.

For now, the Tide will finish the season without the big man—but with no regrets from the staff that brought him home.