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Charles Bediako’s much-discussed return to college basketball will continue for nearly another two weeks – not solely because of a court order or a judge’s ruling, but with a little help from Mother Nature.

The Alabama center’s temporary restraining order against the NCAA was extended by another 10 days due to counsel’s unavailability for the scheduled injunction hearing on Tuesday, Jan. 27.

In an order on Monday, Jan. 26, Judge James Roberts Jr. of the Tuscaloosa (Alabama) County Circuit Court wrote that Taylor Askew, an attorney for the NCAA, was unable to attend the hearing because of “weather issues” where he lives in Tennessee. Roberts added that the next hearing will be "reset later by a separate order."

BREAKING: Temporary restraining order allowing Charles Bediako to play for Alabama has been extended pic.twitter.com/NIhN1lALRq

— Ryan Phillips (@JournoRyan) January 26, 2026

REQUIRED READING: Paying attention to Texas Tech yet? You should. That and more from college basketball weekend

After three years of playing professionally in the NBA G League, Bediako returned to Alabama, where he played from 2021-23, after Roberts granted him a temporary restraining order on Wednesday, Jan. 21.

In his first game back with the Crimson Tide, the seven-footer had 13 points, three rebounds, two blocks and two steals while making five of his six field-goal attempts in 25 minutes in a 79-73 loss at home against Tennessee on Jan. 24.

With Roberts’ decision, Bediako will be eligible to compete in at least the next three games for Alabama: Jan. 27 against Missouri, Feb. 1 at No. 21 Florida and Feb. 4 against Texas A&M.

Bediako was not selected in the 2023 NBA Draft, and while he has never played an NBA game, he suited up in 82 G League games over three seasons, including, most recently, for the Motor City Cruise on Jan. 17, one week before his first game back with Alabama.

He’s one of several former G League players who has joined a college roster this season, a trend that has raised the public ire of notable figures across the sport, as well as the NCAA itself, which said such moves are “taking away opportunities from high school students.” Michigan State coach Tom Izzo described it as “utterly ridiculous.” Even Alabama coach Nate Oats, a former high school coach in Michigan, spoke up last month after Baylor brought in former NBA Draft pick James Nnaji, saying the increased prevalence of such players was “taking opportunities away” from high schoolers.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Alabama's Charles Bediako gets NCAA restraining order extended because of weather

The NBA has announced its rosters for the 2026 Rising Stars game. Sophomore standout Jaylon Tyson will be there to represent the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Tyson is averaging 13.7 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game. He’s gone from a fringe rotational player to a bona fide starting-caliber talent in the first half of the season. His leap as a three-point shooter (46% this season) is only one of many reasons for his success.

“He’s just built up the equity, and that’s confidence in himself,” Atkinson said. “It started in Summer League, then he just built it with his work.”

The Cavs have fully embraced Tyson’s breakout. He’s started in 27 games this season and is playing close to 30 minutes per game. No one would have predicted this in the summer, but even Cleveland’s veterans have recognized his importance. Donovan Mitchell, especially, has taken Tyson under his wing.

“Donovan has believed in him since day one,” said Aktinson. “He’s anointed him, like, ‘okay, I need you, we’re going to get you better.‘ So I think that when your superstar believes in you, that’s even more important than when the coach believes in you.”

Tyson is joined by other rising stars such as Cooper Flagg, Dylan Harper, Stephon Castle and Alex Sarr. He’s the first Cavalier on a standard contract to play in the game since Evan Mobley in his rookie and sophomore seasons. Emoni Bates was selected to the G-League Rising Stars in 2024.

The Cavaliers, who have the most expensive roster in the NBA, are hamstrung by their financial situation. That limits them from adding talent at the trade deadline or in the offseason — and makes young talent like Tyson all the more important. This is their easiest, if not only, option for improving the roster without making any major changes. That means Tyson’s development is more than an inspiring story; it’s pivotal to the future of the franchise.

Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter on Monday backed a proposed fan boycott of World Cup matches in the United States because of the conduct of President Donald Trump and his administration at home and abroad.

Blatter was the latest international soccer figure to call into question the suitability of the United States as a host country. He called for the boycott in a post on X that supported Mark Pieth's comments in an interview last week with the Swiss newspaper Der Bund.

Pieth, a Swiss attorney specializing in white-collar crime and an anti-corruption expert, chaired the Independent Governance Committee's oversight of FIFA reform a decade ago. Blatter was president of the world's governing body for soccer from 1998-2015; he resigned amid an investigation into corruption.

In his interview with Der Bund, Pieth said, “If we consider everything we’ve discussed, there’s only one piece of advice for fans: Stay away from the USA! You’ll see it better on TV anyway. And upon arrival, fans should expect that if they don’t please the officials, they’ll be put straight on the next flight home. If they’re lucky.”

In his X post, Blatter quoted Pietha and added, “I think Mark Pieth is right to question this World Cup.”

The United States is co-hosting the World Cup with Canada and Mexico from June 11-July 19.

The international soccer community's concerns about the United States stem from Trump's expansionist posture on Greenland, travel bans and aggressive tactics in dealing with migrants and immigration enforcement protestors in American cities, particularly Minneapolis.

Oke Göttlich, one of the vice presidents of the German soccer federation, told the Hamburger Morgenpost newspaper in an interview on Friday that the time had come to seriously consider boycotting the World Cup.

Two weeks ago, travel plans for fans from two of the top soccer countries in Africa were thrown into disarray when the Trump administration announced a ban that would effectively bar people from Senegal and Ivory Coast from following their teams unless they already have visas. Trump cited “screening and vetting deficiencies” as the main reason for the suspensions.

Fans from Iran and Haiti, two other countries that have qualified for the World Cup, will be barred from entering the United States as well; they were included in the first iteration of the travel ban announced by the Trump administration.

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

2025-26 Sixers Bell Ringer standings:

Tyrese Maxey – 18
VJ Edgecombe – 6
Joel Embiid – 6
Paul George – 5
Andre Drummond – 2
Dominick Barlow – 1
Adem Bona – 1
Justin Edwards – 1
Quentin Grimes – 1
Jared McCain – 1
Kelly Oubre Jr. – 1
Trendon Watford – 1
15th roster spot – 1

The Sixers traveled to Charlotte for a Monday afternoon tilt against Eastern Conference foe the Charlotte Hornets. The Sixers were without the services of Joel Embiid and Paul George in this one as part of their respective knee injury management plans.

The Sixers struggled from the opening tip in this one. The Hornets’ ball movement, pace and balanced scoring attack jumped them out to an early 28-22 advantage at the conclusion of the first period. It would only get worse from there.

The Hornets really blew this game open in the second quarter. Charlotte shot a blistering 57% from the floor in the first half. The Sixers struggled on the glass and even when the Hornets missed it seemed that they would get an extra possession on the glass. Charlotte outrebounded the Sixers by 10 in the first half. The Hornets’ ball movement and player movement had the Sixers defense in a bind. Charlotte finished the half with 19 assists on their 25 made field goals. The Sixers’ backcourt of Maxey and Edgecombe combined to go 3-for-17 from the field in the first half. The Hornets held a 69-44 lead at the halftime break.

The Hornets’ barrage continued in the third as they outscored the Sixers by a resounding 40-15 score in the third period. The Sixers seemingly waved the white flag as they emptied the bench less than halfway through the quarter, facing a 40-point deficit. The Hornets led 109-59 after three quarters of play.

The Sixers won their lone quarter of the game in the fourth, by a 13-point margin, courtesy of strong play from Quentin Grimes and Jared McCain to close out the game that was well out of hand.

Time for the Bell Ringer.

Kelly Oubre Jr: 17 points, 7-for-12 from the field

Oubre was the lone Sixers starter to crack double figures in this game. Regardless of the situation, you can always count on Oubre for effort and energy. Kelly got to the rim for a few nice drives and scores early in this one to keep the Sixers attached in the first quarter. There was a lot of blame to go around for this game playing out in the manner that it did — Oubre shouldn’t get any.

Jared McCain: 16 points, 6-for-13 from the field, 4-for-8 from three, 3 rebounds, 3 assists

Jared McCain poured in 16 points in 23 minutes in this one — a lot of those coming late in the game when the outcome was already decided. It was nice to see McCain knock down some shots as he has struggled this year in his return from injury. Let’s hope this can be a confidence builder for McCain that springboards him into a bounce back second half of the season.

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Suns fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

When injuries hit, the math changes. The vibes change. The pecking order gets shoved into a blender, and someone hits “high.” And when the guy who normally calms the room, the one who bends defenses just by standing there and breathing, goes down, the ripple effects are impossible to ignore.

That’s Devin Booker. Fringe All-Star or not, the Suns orbit around him, and Sunday in Miami was our first real reminder of what life looks like when the sun disappears behind the clouds.

Booker hasn’t had his most efficient shooting season, and that’s fine. That’s not the point. His gravity still warps the floor. His decision-making still lubricates the offense. With him out there, everyone else knows where to stand, when to cut, and why the ball is coming their way. Through 41 games with Booker, the Suns average 41.8 made field goals on 25 assists per night, good for a clean 1.6 assist-to-turnover ratio. Things make sense. The ball hums. The gears stay oiled.

Take him out, and the picture gets fuzzier. In the five games he’s missed, that drops to 37.4 made field goals and 22.8 assists, with the assist-to-turnover ratio dipping to 1.5. Not catastrophic. Not a five-alarm fire. But noticeable. You feel it. You see it. The offense hesitates, like it’s waiting for someone to raise their hand and say, “Alright, I’ve got this.”

And that’s the real question now. If Booker isn’t there to conduct the orchestra, who’s grabbing the baton?

Is it Grayson Allen, leaning harder into his ability to put the ball on the deck, touch the paint, and kick it back out before the defense can blink? Is it Royce O’Neale, quietly keeping things organized and unsexy while doing the connective tissue work no one puts in the box score? Is it Jordan Goodwin, turning pressure into playmaking? Or does Dillon Brooks need to embrace his inner point forward and focus less on shot hunting and more on keeping the ball alive?

Because against Miami, the ball stuck. It stalled. Possessions ended in isolation purgatory instead of movement and advantage. That’s not who this team has been, and it’s not who they can afford to be while Booker heals up.

That’s what this week’s Suns Reacts is all about. If the offense has to run through someone else for a stretch, who do you trust to steer the ship? Who should Jordan Ott lean on to initiate, organize, and keep the whole thing from drifting sideways?

Sound off. The floor is yours.

The 2026 NBA trade deadline is suddenly less than two weeks away and the clock is beginning to tick for teams trying to pull off a deal. The rumors and speculation have been a constant, from the preseason all the way up until now, and already one big star, Trae Young, was dealt earlier this month ahead of the deadline crunch.

There hasn't been a move since then. But Giannis Antetokounmpo, Ja Morant, Anthony Davis, Domantas Sabonis, Jonathan Kuminga and, more recently, Karl-Anthony Towns are among the former All-Stars and notable NBA players that have been dangled in potential trade scenarios. All could be on different teams in less than two weeks, but each is just as likely to wind up sticking around past the deadline in spite of their possible availability at the moment.

The biggest reason for such uncertainty, beyond the salary cap and chemistry ramifications of pulling off a trade mid-season? Injuries.

Antetokounmpo, Morant and Davis are each not playing at the moment, with a decent chance none are back in the lineup by the trade deadline. Kuminga just suffered an injury last week as well. Sabonis, meanwhile, just returned after a lengthy absence from a knee injury. That means the days ahead will be filled with even more speculation to sift through.

Here's a look at some of the latest NBA trade deadline rumors: