Alabama starting center Charles Bediako elects to remain in NBA Draft

Make that three Alabama starters officially gone. 

As reported by ESPN’s Jonathan Givony and Jeff Borzello on Monday, Crimson Tide center Charles Bediako has elected to remain in the NBA Draft. The Canadian averaged 6.4 points, 6.0 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per contest as a sophomore, starting all 37 games. Alabama won the SEC regular-season and tournament titles and received a No. 1 seed in the South Region before falling to eventual national runner-up San Diego State in the Sweet 16.

Bediako is a presence on both ends of the floor, serving as a proficient roller and finisher offensively and a sturdy rim protector defensively.

Surrounded by extreme talents, particularly likely top-three selection Brandon Miller and first-rounder Noah Clowney — both of whom have already turned pro — and dynamic point guard Jahvon Quinerly, Bediako was the consummate role player for one of the most dominant teams in the country in 2022-23. 

The former four-star recruit received conference All-Tournament Team and All-Defensive Team honors this past March, and averaged 11 points, eight rebounds and a whopping 3.7 rejections in the Crimson Tide’s three-game march to the SEC Tournament title. 

As for Alabama, Bediako’s departure is just another domino in what has been an offseason filled with change. 

Quinerly and fellow guard Mark Sears have until the end of this month to withdraw their names from the NBA Draft. In addition, rotation pieces Jaden Bradley, Nimari Burnett, Noah Gurley and Dominick Welch have left the program. Bradley and Burnett entered the transfer portal, and Gurley and Welch have exhausted their collegiate eligibility. 

Alabama, heading into its fifth season under head coach Nate Oats, is 12th in ESPN’s way-too-early top 25. However, that ranking was given under the assumption that Bediako and Sears would return to Tuscaloosa.