In a strange way, the brazen push from professional players to recalibrate their collegiate eligibility might help the NCAA in its fight to get its arms around its product.

NCAA president Charlie Baker has been nearly begging Congress to help streamline the wayward laws currently governing college athletics to no avail. Charles Bediako’s temporary restraining order to play at Alabama – coupled with former UCLA Bruin Amari Bailey’s claim that he, too, wants to go back to school – might be the proverbial straw on the congressional camel.

On a plentiful plate of issues to handle – point shaving and gambling, transfer portal and NIL regulations – Baker said that the eligibility issue is feeling the hottest burner. A preliminary injunction hearing is scheduled Friday in Alabama for Bediako, who has been playing for the Crimson Tide since January 24 despite playing for four different G-League teams and at one point signing a two-way contract with the San Antonio Spurs. The judge who granted Bediako the temporary restraining order has since recused himself after reports surfaced that he is an Alabama booster.

Bailey, who played 10 games in the NBA after being selected in the second round in the 2023 NBA draft, has said he would like to return to Westwood. He has hired a lawyer but has yet to file a lawsuit.