Jumbo Package: Charles Bediako reportedly staying in the NBA Draft

Happy Tuesday, everyone. The baseball team opens SEC Tournament play vs Kentucky today at 4:30pm. You can catch the game on SEC Network.

The basketball squad got some tough news as Angry Chuck has decided to stay in the draft.

Yet Bediako declared for the NBA Draft in late March and has decided not to withdraw his name, according to a report Monday from ESPN. That means Alabama will lose at least three starters from this past season to the NBA Draft with Miller, Bediako and Noah Clowney.

Jahvon Quinerly and Mark Sears also declared for the draft and have not yet announced their decisions, although both are likely to return to Alabama.

The deadline to withdraw and retain college eligibility is May 31.

The loss of Bediako is significant and a surprise to those within the program. Teammates and coach Nate Oats raved about Bediako’s role throughout the season. Oats frequently called Bediako an elite rim protector.

Seems that a lot of folks are surprised by this. Hope it works out well for him, and Nate will likely look to the portal for another big.

Kirk McNair wrote about the potential SEC schedule options. The schools first have to agree on how many conference games will be played.

Speaking of a possible nine-game conference schedule, there is the possibility of a 1-8 (one traditional opponent, rotate eight), which would seem to be terrible. Does Alabama give up Tennessee or Auburn? Auburn lose Alabama or Georgia? One thing about it, though, when they gather in Destin it will be about the money and about the chances of winning, not about tradition.

Alabama Coach Nick Saban, who seems to give more thought to the big picture of college football than most, has had his opinions, beginning several years ago with his suggestion that the SEC adopt “a nine- or even ten-game schedule.” In most of the Destin votes in the football coaches meetings, it was Saban “aye” and 13 others “nay.”

Italy got a little taste of “The Running of the Gumps.”

“I sprint across the street,” she said. “Sprint past my boyfriend and run right up to him and I immediately scream Roll Tide!”

Now back home in Denver, O’Connor admits she may have been somewhat aggressive in her approach.

“I startled the hell out of him,” she confessed in a phone interview with AL.com. “He’s like ‘What’s going on?’”

O’Connor’s encounter is one of a handful that made the rounds on social media last week in the ultimate slow-news cycle story that became a national headline. The famously-routine-oriented Crimson Tide coach broke the rotation of lake and beach house vacations and the internet was there for posterity’s sake.

Hellams has impressed some of the Falcons’ brass.

“Prominent program, and so for him to play in the secondary for (Alabama coach) Nick Saban and to be one of the main communicators on the back end, you know he’s smart,” Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot said. “High football IQ. You know he’s versatile. And again, he’s a tough, violent player. He plays with anticipation, and he’s the type of guy, yeah, he can take it away and he can play the ball, but he likes to hit people.

“(The Alabama) defense is fun to watch in general because of the way they play, the way they compete, so bringing in somebody from that secondary that had this type of production at this type of program, you know he can be versatile, you know he can do some different things and wear some different hats on defense and you know he’s going to be a tough, violent special-teams player, as well.”

Last, this is just your next QB commit throwing a 50+ yard dime with no feet on the ground.

Impressive.

That’s about it for now. Have a great day.

Roll Tide.