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Former Southern California men’s basketball guard Chad Baker-Mazara has filed a lawsuit against USC and coach Eric Musselman regarding his abrupt and bizarre exit from the program.
The lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court on Sept. 14 and first reported by the California Post, alleges Musselman removed Baker-Mazara from the team after the Trojans were eliminated from NCAA tournament contention to avoid paying the remainder of his NIL contract.
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The complaint also alleges Musselman directed racially charged remarks at Baker-Mazara following a Feb. 28 loss to Nebraska, the fifth of eight straight losses to end the season.
REQUIRED READING: From USC’s leading scorer to gone overnight. Chad Baker-Mazara tells his side of story
Baker-Mazara is suing for breach of contract, conversion and intentional interference with prospective economic advantage.
“The decision to remove the student-athlete from the men’s basketball roster was based on a number of considerations, none having to do with race. We look forward to defeating this action in court,” a USC spokesperson said in a statement to USA TODAY Sports.
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The lawsuit alleges USC has not paid the remainder of the promised NIL earnings. Baker-Mazara claims the Trojans terminated his NIL agreements with the program the day after he was removed from the roster, stating he had violated a “morals clause.”
Baker-Mazara, who transferred from Auburn to USC before the 2025-26 season, sustained an injury while blocking a shot in the opening minutes of the second half against Nebraska on Feb. 28. That was his final play and game in a Trojans uniform: USC announced Baker-Mazara was no longer with the team the following day.
“My body was telling me, ‘No, buddy. As bad as you want to play, it’s a no-go,'” Baker-Mazara told USA TODAY Sports’ Andres Soto in June.
Per The Athletic, the lawsuit claims USC’s NIL collective told Baker-Mazara’s representatives on Feb. 13 — two weeks before he was kicked off the team — that the originally missed February payment would be forthcoming. Then, on Feb. 24, before USC’s crosstown rivalry game vs. UCLA,…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/chad-baker-mazara-alleges-eric-142029574.html
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Publish date : 2026-09-15 14:20:00
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