GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) 鈥� The Rowdy Reptiles were ready for Charles Bediako.
Florida鈥檚 raucous student section taunted Alabama鈥檚 7-foot center unmercifully with chants of 鈥淕 League dropout鈥� during a on Sunday. It provided a glimpse of what the most controversial player in college basketball should expect at road games in the Southeastern Conference 鈥� and potentially the NCAA Tournament.
鈥淵ou have very passionate fan bases in the SEC, and fans are going to do what they do,鈥� Crimson Tide coach Nate Oats said. 鈥淚 expected something similar to that.鈥�
Bediako is despite leaving school early in 2023 and entering the NBA draft. He was not selected, but he signed a two-way contract with San Antonio later that year and spent the past three years in the developmental G League, playing as recently as two weeks ago with the Motor City Cruise in Detroit.
He rejoined the 23rd-ranked Crimson Tide after a Tuscaloosa judge, who has , granted that 鈥� at least until an injunction hearing can be held.
In his third collegiate game this season and first on the road, Bediako had six points, seven rebounds, four blocks and two turnovers before fouling out in the waning minutes.
Florida center Rueben Chinyelu mostly handled Bediako in the paint and pumped up the home crowd as the Alabama newcomer left the floor.
鈥淚 wasn鈥檛 even thinking about it,” said Chinyelu, who had 14 points and 17 rebounds for his 13th double-double of the season. “I was just playing basketball. He fouled, he fouled. That鈥檚 about it. It鈥檚 basketball. But I don鈥檛 think we emphasized getting him out of the game.鈥�
Bediako was , mostly because Florida coach Todd Golden has been an outspoken critic of the big man’s return to college and the court鈥檚 involvement. Golden said at a fan event less than two weeks ago that 鈥渨e鈥檙e gonna beat 鈥檈m anyways鈥� when asked about Bediako鈥檚 return.
Golden鈥檚 players 鈥� and the sold-out O鈥機onnell Center crowd 鈥� had his back.
When Bediako entered the game and went to the free-throw line, fans mocked him. He smiled and even acknowledged them at times.
鈥淓very team we play almost has a professional basketball player on their team, too,鈥� Oats said. 鈥淭his one just got a little more media attention. That鈥檚 what he鈥檚 going to get, and he鈥檚 just going to have to deal with it. That鈥檚 life.鈥�
Oats鈥� argument is Bediako should be treated no differently than the dozens of players 鈥� Baylor鈥檚 James Nnaji is the most notable this season 鈥� who played professionally in Europe before enrolling in college in the United States. Detroit drafted Nnaji 31st overall in 2023, but he never signed an NBA contract.
Bediako鈥檚 case could alter the framework of college basketball and the NBA draft 鈥� and perhaps open the door for more players with NBA experience to pursue another stint in college.
Former UCLA guard Amari Bailey told ESPN last week he plans to try to become the first to return to college after playing NBA games. The 21-year-old Bailey hired an agent and a lawyer in hopes of gaining NCAA eligibility and playing another season.
A second-round pick by Charlotte in 2023, Bailey played in 10 games for the Hornets as a rookie and then spent two years in the G League before getting released last summer.
鈥淚 think everybody probably should be concerned with that,鈥� Oats said. 鈥淭hey need to draw a line. I think Charles鈥� people thought that the line shouldn鈥檛 have been drawn that鈥檚 going to favor all the internationals and not allow the Americans to be able make the money. 鈥� Some people would argue that Charles has a better case to be eligible than some other guys playing college basketball right now. 鈥�
鈥淚 think we all should be concerned, and they need to come up with a set of rules that everybody agrees on.鈥�
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