Top Five Big Man Charles Bediako Commits to Tide Hoops

Another April, another big recruiting month for Nate Oats and the Alabama Crimson Tide. It turns out that playing (and winning) with an up-tempo scheme that prioritizes attacking the rim and running teams out of the gym with a barrage of three-point shots is quite appealing to college and high school kids. The latest addition to the 2021 recruiting class is blue-chip big man, Charles Bediako. It doesn’t really come as much of a surprise, as insiders have been predicting Bediako’s commitment to the Tide since last summer, but it’s still a massive signing nonetheless.

The 6’11 post from Ontario, Canada (wow, has that Buffalo pipeline paid off for Oats and Alabama) is a huge individual that spent the past year playing at the highest level at IMG Academy in Florida. His size and length make him a force in the paint, both on the glass and on the defensive end, which is huge for an Alabama team that occasionally had issues dealing with teams that were big and physical on the interior. To that point, Bediako isn’t a typical Oats-style of player. He’s a true post. You won’t see him taking a rebound end-to-end or stretching out the defense from the perimeter, but he’ll serve a major role in what was often a missing piece in the paint this past year. Check out some highlights below:

Make no mistake about it - this kid has NBA potential. He is the #4 center and 26th-ranked overall player in the 2021 class according to 247 Sports, and his commitment has moved Alabama up to third overall in the 2021 class rankings. This is a major coup for Nate Oats at a position of need. He’ll join five-star point guard J.D. Davison, four-star guard and scorer, Jusaun Holt, and top-rated JUCO big, Langston Wilson in this loaded Alabama class, which will arguably be the best in the Tide’s history.

Unfortunately for Alabama haters, 2021 wasn’t a flash-in-the-pan for Tide Hoops. This is only the beginning.