Tuscaloosa County Circuit Judge James Roberts, Jr., recused himself on Wednesday from a lawsuit filed by University of Alabama center Charles Bediako.
Attorneys representing the NCAA asked Roberts on Monday to recuse himself. Roberts granted NBA G League player Charles Bediako immediate eligibility to rejoin Alabama's basketball team last week.
Bediako filed a lawsuit in Tuscaloosa County Circuit Court against the NCAA, seeking to play for the Crimson Tide again. Roberts granted his motion for a temporary restraining order against the NCAA last week. The temporary restraining order was recently extended for 10 days due to a hearing being delayed due to winter weather.
Bediako, a seven-footer who played for the Tide in the 2022-2023 season before entering the NBA Draft, averaged 4.4 points per game for the Motor City Cruise in the G League. According to the complaint, he's currently enrolled at the University of Alabama.
Bediako scored 13 points and had three rebounds in his return with the Tide on Saturday in a home loss to Tennessee.
The NCAA argued in a motion to recuse on Monday that Roberts' recusal was necessary to avoid an "appearance of impropriety." Roberts is reportedly a large donor to the Crimson Tide Foundation. According to media reports, his wife is a defense attorney representing Bediako's former Tide teammate Darius Miles, who is facing murder charges.
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