Charles Bediako‘s college basketball career is over again after an Alabama circuit judge denied his motion for a preliminary injunction Monday, ending the 7-foot center’s season with the Crimson Tide.

Tuscaloosa County Circuit Court Judge Daniel F. Pruet halted Bediako’s bid to regain eligibility after he left Alabama for the NBA draft in 2023, signed a two-way NBA contract and played the past three seasons in the G League — moves that disqualified him from collegiate competition, according to the NCAA.

Pruet ruled that Bediako did not have a “reasonable expectation” he would be allowed to return to college basketball when no other player had been granted eligibility under the same circumstances.

NCAA president Charlie Baker said in a statement he was glad the court “upheld the rules of our members.”

“Common sense won a round today,” Baker said. “The court saw this for what it is: an attempt by professionals to pivot back to college and crowd out the next generation of students. College sports are for students, not for people who already walked away to go pro and now want to hit the ‘undo’ button at the expense of a teenager’s dream. While we’re glad the court upheld the rules our members actually want, one win doesn’t fix the national mess of state laws. It’s time for Congress to stop watching from the sidelines and help us provide some actual stability.”

Bediako, who was averaging 10.0 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.4 blocks in five games with Alabama this season, was given a first-of-its-kind second chance to play college basketball last month when another judge granted him a temporary restraining order.

That ruling allowed him to join Alabama in the middle of the season — three years after he had been a defensive anchor for a team that boasted a top-three defense in 2022-23, Bediako’s second season with the team before he entered the draft.

In Monday’s ruling, Pruet said Bediako did not meet the criteria for a preliminary injunction that would have allowed him to play the rest of the 2025-26 season because he had “failed to establish that he would suffer irreparable harm,” had “failed to establish that he has no adequate remedy at law without the issuance of the injunction” and had “failed to demonstrate that he has at least a reasonable chance of success on the ultimate merits of those claims” that the NCAA had violated antitrust laws in his case.

The judge also said the case was “not about whether the Plaintiff can be paid to play basketball, but for whom,” citing the money he made at the professional level, after Bediako claimed he would miss out on revenue-sharing opportunities if he wasn’t given a chance to return to college basketball.

The judge also ruled that Bediako is subject to NCAA rules.

“To obtain the benefits promised to him for participation in NCAA basketball, the Plaintiff must be eligible to participate in NCAA basketball,” the judge said. “Eligibility to participate in the NCAA is controlled by the Defendant’s application of the eligibility rules legislated by the NCAA membership.”

The ruling is a significant victory for the NCAA.

After multiple European prospects who’d played professional basketball had been granted eligibility, other players with ties to American pro teams began to seek similar opportunities. Multiple G League players and James Nnaji, a 2023 NBA draft pick, were deemed eligible by the NCAA this season.

But the NCAA fought Bediako’s case for fear that his renewed eligibility would open the floodgates to allow other athletes with NBA experience to return to college basketball and skirt NCAA rules.

Alabama said it was disappointed in the ruling and called for consistency from NCAA decision-makers.

“We are disappointed in today’s court ruling, denying the injunction for Charles Bediako,” the school said in a statement. “While we understand the concern around competitive and developmental implications of former professional athletes participating in college, it is important to acknowledge reality. The NCAA has granted eligibility to over 100 current men’s basketball players with prior professional experience in the G League or overseas. Granting eligibility to some former professionals, and not to others, is what creates the havoc we are currently in and why consistency from decision-makers is so desperately needed.”

Crimson Tide coach Nate Oats, speaking Monday on his “Hey Coach” weekly radio show, said he was disappointed in the ruling and “disappointed in the system — both the NCAA, the courts, the whole thing.”

Oats called out the “inconsistencies” when it comes to who is eligible and who is not.

“It just seems like the European international players are being given preferential treatment over the Americans,” he said. “Hopefully, at some point, somebody is going to win a ruling like this. It wasn’t here today. At some point somebody will win one and change the system. Because that’s how it has to get changed in the NCAA. They don’t make changes on their own, typically.”

Bediako’s agent, Daniel Green, did not immediately respond to a request for comment from ESPN.

Alabama (16-7, 6-4 SEC) will visit Ole Miss on Tuesday.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Liverpool will try to recover from a devastating loss when they visit the Stadium of Light on Wednesday to face Sunderland in an English Premier League match. The Reds (11-6-8) are sixth in the Premier League table after Manchester City rallied in the final six minutes to beat them 2-1 at Anfied on Sunday. Sunderland (9-9-7) are in ninth place and have lost three consecutive EPL matches but are 7-5-0 at home this season.

Kickoff in Sunderland, England on Wednesday is set for 3:15 p.m. ET. Liverpool are -135 favorites (wager $135 to win $100) in the latest Sunderland vs. Liverpool odds at DraftKings Sportsbook, while Sunderland are +360 underdogs (wager $100 to win $360). A draw is priced at +290 and the total is set at 2.5 (Over -125, Under +100). You can check out the latest projections for Liverpool vs. Sunderland at SportsLine, and before you make any bets, you need to see what soccer expert Jon Eimer has to say about this Premier League match.

Eimer finished 2023 as SportsLine’s No. 1 soccer expert, posting a 248-234-12 record (+25.93 units) on SportsLine article picks. Eimer has been red-hot in 2025, posting a profit in multiple leagues, including the Premier League, Champions League, La Liga and more. Anyone following his soccer betting picks could have seen huge returns at sportsbooks and on betting apps. 

Here are Eimer’s best bets and analysis for Sunderland vs. Liverpool on Wednesday.

Sunderland vs. Liverpool best bets

• Sunderland Double Chance (+100, 1 unit)
• Both Teams to Score (-130, 1 unit) 

Sunderland and the Stadium of Light

There is only one team in the entirety of the Premier League that hasn’t lost a match at home this season. It’s not Manchester United or Manchester City. It’s not Liverpool or Chelsea. It’s not even top of the table Arsenal, It’s Sunderland. When playing at the Stadium of Light, Sunderland have been in tremendous form. 

They’ve played 12 home matches this season and have won seven of those, drawing the other five. They’ve taken points off  teams like Manchester City, Newcastle, Arsenal and Aston Villa while playing at home. This is important to remember that this team tends to defy odds when backed by its fans. 

Liverpool’s Recent Form Favors Goals

Liverpool will enter this match coming off a brutal loss to Manchester City over the weekend. They went up 1-0 against the Citizens at home, and conceded two goals after the 80th minute to lose all three points. While this match was disappointing, we saw a continuation of a few things.

The first is that Liverpool games have been fantastic for people who like betting on goals. Their last five matches have seen 22 goals, with players like Hugo Ekitike, Florian Wirtz and Dominik Szoboszlai really finding their strides. The defense is the main problem. Liverpool’s defense has been horrendous and not up to their standard. Expect them to press for goals, but expect a Sunderland team that is dominant at home to do the same.