Alabama center Charles Bediako is scheduled for a court hearing on Friday wherein a judge will determine whether the NCAA may enforce its eligibility rules against him. Ahead of what could be a groundbreaking determination in Circuit Court, SEC commissioner Greg Sankey signed an affidavit asking judge Daniel Pruet to deny Bediako additional eligibility.

It is a significant move from Sankey, one of the most powerful voices in college athletics, as he seeks legal help in preventing one of his conference members from rostering a former professional player.

“I respectfully ask the Court to uphold the NCAA eligibility rules challenged in this case,” Sankey said in the affidavit obtained by CBS Sports’ Matt Norlander, “which are essential to the integrity of college sports, to the educational mission they serve, and to the opportunities they provide for current and future student-athletes.”

Charles Bediako returns to Alabama: Judge who is Crimson Tide booster recused from case

David Cobb

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Bediako, 23, went undrafted two years ago after starting on an Alabama team that earned a No. 1 seed in the 2023 NCAA Tournament. He had two years of eligibility remaining but declared for the 2023 NBA Draft. After signing a professional contract — including a two-way deal with the San Antonio Spurs — and appearing in multiple G League games, he is back with the Crimson Tide as a result of a temporary restraining order against the NCAA’s eligibility rules. The 7-footer has appeared in four games and made two starts for Alabama over the last two weeks, averaging 9.6 points and 5.0 rebounds per contest.

The temporary restraining order expires on Feb. 18, but if Bediako is granted a preliminary injunction at Friday’s hearing, he could continue to play for the Crimson Tide deeper into the regular season and perhaps into the NCAA Tournament.

Bediako’s return to college basketball rubbed many across college basketball the wrong way, including Florida coach Todd Golden, who has been among the most vocal opponents of the eligibility ruling.

Sankey argued in the affidavit that permitting former professional athletes to return to college competition creates a “competitive disadvantage and fundamental unfairness” for athletes who remain within their eligibility windows. He said it is also unfair to the programs that continue to operate within the NCAA’s framework and have not added former pros to their rosters.

Sankey noted the impact that Bediako’s return — and the extension of eligibility clocks for other athletes — has on high schoolers who seek college athletics opportunities. Since roster spots are zero-sum, for every former professional player who returns to school and for every current athlete who is granted an additional year, a high school athlete loses a chance to play in college.

That the SEC commissioner is on the record standing against eligibility extensions is especially notable because two of his conference’s most prominent quarterbacks from the 2025 college football season are also in search of an additional year. Ole Miss’ Trinidad Chambliss and Tennessee’s Joey Aguilar both filed lawsuits against the NCAA seeking injunctions that would allow them to play in 2026 despite having already completed four years of competition.

Memphis Tigers’ Dug McDaniel against UNLV during a basketball game on Nov. 16, 2025 at the FedExForum in Memphis, Tennessee.

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You never know what will happen in the days before the Olympics start, though few had ski jumpers injecting their penises with acid in a bid to improve sporting performance on their bingo card.

Tantrums at the ice skating and rows over helmets at the skeleton might have been more predictable, but sometimes you just want the reassuring sounds of curling to remind you the Games have really begun.

It’s sport’s ultimate ASMR – the echoing shouts of “hurry hard” as stones rumble across the pebbled ice, the scratching and scrubbing of brooms, followed by the hollow clank of granite on granite.

If leather on willow is the sound of summer, then close your eyes at the curling and winter is coming. However, whisper it quietly: something is brewing over at the roarin’ game.

Four years ago, it was Great Britain’s curlers who bailed the wider team out, claiming the only two medals of the Beijing Olympics – a men’s silver and a women’s gold – both secured on the final weekend.

On the early evidence of these Games, Bruce Mouat and Jen Dodds could give them a flying start in the days ahead.

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The pair admitted they were still smarting from their medal miss in the mixed event in 2022, the childhood friends from Edinburgh having thrown away a lead in the semi-finals before being soundly beaten in the bronze-medal match.

They have responded in style, with a perfect three wins from three. It hasn’t been flawless, though, as Mouat and Dodds narrowly overcame former world silver medallists Estonia’s Mari Kaldvee and Harri Lill 8-6, with an end to spare, before edging past the Czech pair Vit Chabicovsky and Julie Zelingrova.

They took an early advantage and seemed in control before conceding a fifth-end triple and needed Dodds to keep a super-steady hand to cling on for an 8-7 win. Zelingrova spurned a chance to clinch victory as the shot clock hurried her into a final-stone mistake.

It leaves Team GB joint top of the early standings alongside powerhouse Canada, who beat world champions and favourites Italy’s Amos Mosaner and Stefania Constantini in a statement of intent.

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Those two teams will clash on Saturday morning, while Mouat and Dodds’ Friday opponents in the ten-team round-robin stage are winless Korea and Sweden. Two wins there and a place in the knockouts will be odds-on.

“You have to win ugly sometimes and that was probably that game,” admitted Dodds of the Czech victory. “In mixed doubles, you’re never safe, even when you’re up three in the last end, and it was getting a bit nervy at some points.

“I’m here to support Bruce as much as possible. There are times that I don’t play well and Bruce is absolutely amazing, but this was vice versa.

“You’re a team and you’re in it together; we’ll figure out whatever Bruce needs to help step it up a little.”

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Mouat, who is favourite for gold in the men’s event after guiding Scotland to world gold last year, admitted he is still adjusting to the ice.

“It’s exactly how we wanted to start the event,” he said. “We just wanted to put a better foot forward, but three wins is exactly what we need at this point.

“We’ve got some tough games ahead and we’re going to have to perform a little better. Jen’s playing amazingly; it’s just that I need to help her a little.

“I wasn’t playing my best and I can’t blame the ice – I can only blame myself. There were some tricky spots in there; I think it’s manageable. It’s just that I’ve not figured it out yet, so I’m going to have to figure it out faster.”

TNT Sports on discovery+ will be the go-to destination in the U.K to watch everything of Milano Cortina 2026 live all in one place, with over 850 hours of action from every sport, venue, and medal event.

After the summer deadline day defined by the striker Liverpool bought and the defender they did not, the January transfer window ended with the centre-back they recruited and the right-back they did not.

The immediate problem for Arne Slot is that, while he acquired Alexander Isak, he is now injured and while Liverpool have just secured the signature of Jeremy Jacquet, he will not arrive until the summer. But Marc Guehi, who eluded Liverpool in September, will instead face them in the colours of Manchester City on Sunday. Lutsharel Geertruida, who excelled for Slot at Feyenoord, was targeted as an emergency addition, but it proved impossible to get him from RB Leipzig via Sunderland and he could be on the opposite side on Wednesday.

And so Dominik Szoboszlai, who played as a false nine against City a year ago, is likely to line up at right-back against them on Sunday. Liverpool have conducted their transfer business for the future, but not for the present. Slot may be one more defensive injury away from seeing Liverpool’s season condemned to disappointment. As he admitted, it is a task simply keeping his remaining options fit.

Giovanni Leoni and Conor Bradley are out for the season, Jeremie Frimpong for a while yet. The injury-prone Joe Gomez may be able to be on the bench on Sunday, but he will not start. Ibrahima Konate volunteered to return early from compassionate leave after the death of his father to face Newcastle last week. Three different midfielders have operated in the back four in the last two games. Liverpool stand accused of neglecting the immediate issues and leaving Slot short-staffed.

“I’m very happy with the squad, let that be clear,” countered Slot. “But it’s all clear and obvious that we have three long-term injuries. That’s why we’ve tried to strengthen the squad in winter and the player you mentioned [Geertruida], in the end, wasn’t available. But that we’ve tried to strengthen the squad; that is clear. And that tells you that we think that it would have helped us. But it should be possible that we’re not going to sign players that are not good enough to play for this club.”

Of course, Liverpool did think Guehi was good enough. They bid £35m in the summer; yet they left their move so late that Crystal Palace pulled out when they could not get a replacement. They did not intervene when City bought the England international for £20m in January, although there was a case that their need for him was greater, with Konate enduring a distinctly mixed campaign.

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City could fund bigger wages in addition to a transfer fee. Liverpool shifted their attention to next season and the next generation. Jacquet will cost £55m, but is just 20. “A very big talent,” said Slot. Jacquet is still older than Leoni; when you include Noah Adekoya, Mor Talla Ndiaye and Ifeanyi Ndukwe, Liverpool are bringing in five centre-backs under 21. They are searching for Virgil van Dijk’s successor even as Slot suggested his captain could stay for “maybe even longer” than the remaining 16 months of his deal.

“This club is not stupid,” he said. “We do know somewhere in the upcoming years, there is life for this club after Virgil.” Yet life now is ever more reliant on Van Dijk. The 34-year-old has played every minute of all 32 Premier and Champions League matches this season. “What a compliment to him at his age to play every three days,” said Slot.

What a relief for Liverpool that he can. The alternative could make Slot’s job all the harder. “But it’s clear and obvious that if we have an injury crisis, even more than we already have, then that makes things even more difficult,” he said. “So we know what the situation is, but this squad is able to do better and more than we’ve done until now, in my opinion. But then they all need to stay available, and that’s going to be a hell of a challenge because we have three games in seven days coming up.”

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There is a contrast with City who, when John Stones, Josko Gvardiol and Ruben Dias were sidelined, swooped for Guehi. The England international was a long-term target for both clubs. He is also 25, experienced in the Premier League, able to slot in straight away.

Like Leoni, Jacquet will come from another country, earlier in his career, perhaps needing time to adjust. They could be the successors to Van Dijk and Konate.

For different reasons, Slot can call upon neither now. He nevertheless insisted he buys into Liverpool’s strategy. “I have always worked the same. I always want the best for the club, even if in the short term it is not ideal for me,” he said. “I knew which club I went into; this club has a model of signing talented players younger.”

In the short term, though, his life may be easier if he had Guehi and Geertruida, the defenders who Liverpool missed out on at the end of either window.

France: Ramos; Attissogbe, Depoortere, Moefana, Bielle-Biarrey; Jalibert, Dupont (capt); Gros, Marchand, Aldegheri, Ollivon, Guillard, Cros, Jegou, Jelonch.

Replacements: Mauvaka, Neti, Montagne, Auradou, Meafou, Nouchi, Serin, Gourgues.

Ireland: Osborne; O’Brien, Ringrose, McCloskey, Stockdale; S Prendergast, Gibson-Park; Loughman, Sheehan, Clarkson, McCarthy, Beirne, C Prendergast, Van der Flier, Doris (capt).

Replacements: Kelleher, Milne, Bealham, Ryan, Conan, Timoney, Casey, Crowley.

Rumors about Giannis Antetokounmpo‘s new home have fans impatient as the Bucks keep their dealings under wraps with only hours to go before the deadline.

On Thursday, the Bucks’ X account posted a single emoji on their timeline, a yawning emoji. The cryptic message may be a hint at Antetokounmpo’s decision to stay wiith the Bucks, who are valued at $4.3 billion by Forbes.

The trade deadline closes at 3:00 p.m. ET on Thursday, and it appears Milwaukee has convinced the two-time MVP to stay with them for another ride. ESPN’s Shams Charania backed the speculation about Antetokounmpo staying in Milwaukee a few hours before the deadline.

“The Milwaukee Bucks believe they can build a contender around Giannis Antetokounmpo this Summer and get him on board with remaining with the team long term,” Charania said on NBA Today on Thursday.

However, Charania revealed that Antetokounmpo was convinced that he needs to leave to expand his legacy, which forced the Bucks to listen to offers. However, Milwaukee believes that they can build a roster good enough around their superstar to compete for another championship.

The Bucks (20-29) are not good enough to compete for a championship this season. They are 12th in the Eastern Conference standings.

Giannis Antetokounmpo reaffirms his belief in the Milwaukee Bucks

Reports in the last few weeks have suggested that Giannis Antetokounmpo has lost confidence in the Bucks and wants to move to a new team. While they may be right about the two-time MVP’s aspirations, they forgot to cover the love he has for the city that drafted him.

On Wednesday, Eric Nehm of “The Athletic” published an article featuring an interview with the Bucks star, in which he expressed his desire to play for the Bucks forever.

“Brother, if you ask me deep down what I want today, I want to be a Milwaukee Buck for the rest of my career,” Antetokounmpo said. “I want to win here, another championship.”

“Let’s put the Bucks on the side for one second. Let’s talk about the city itself, the memories that I’ve created here. When you open my kids’ passports, it says Milwaukee, Wisconsin.”

Giannis Antetokounmpo is one of the best players in the world when he is healthy and in his groove. The Bucks superstar has proved in 2021 that he can lead a franchise to a championship if he has the right pieces to support him.

The Bucks now have a last chance to show their superstar that they can help him get another championship. Antetokounmpo is averaging 28.0 points, 10.0 rebounds and 5.6 assists per game on 64.5% shooting.