Former Alabama center Charles Bediako surprised many when he made the decision to keep his name in the NBA Draft pool rather than return to Tuscaloosa for his junior season. While Bediako was one of the best perimeter defenders in the nation and really the key to what was a downright stingy Crimson Tide defense, he has a ways to go offensively before he can contribute to an NBA roster.
Bediako made a huge leap from his freshman to his sophomore year and began to look like the player Alabama believed they were getting when they recruited him, but he still felt like a guy who had a ton of developing to do and could have benefitted greatly from at least one more year in school.
Most mock drafts have Bediako going unselected on Thursday night, which makes you wonder why Bediako made the decision he did. Perhaps the most glaring issue on his resume is the fact that Bediako shot just over 35% from the free throw line this past season, something he needs to improve upon to avoid being a liability at the next level.
While he could be selected late in the second round, the most likely scenario feels like Bediako will land a 2-way deal after the draft with a team if he goes un-drafted. And while he can develop in the G-League, another great year at Alabama could have risen his draft stock perhaps into first round status.
