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LOS ANGELES — Former Southern California basketball player Chad Baker-Mazara is suing the university and coach Eric Musselman after his abrupt dismissal from the team in March.
The lawsuit filed Monday in Los Angeles Superior Court alleges Musselman kicked Baker-Mazara off the team after the Trojans were eliminated from NCAA Tournament contention to avoid paying the remainder of his NIL contract.
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It also alleges Musselman directed racially charged remarks at Baker-Mazara following a Feb. 28 loss to 12th-ranked Nebraska. The Trojans were in the midst of losing eight straight games to end the season.
Baker-Mazara alleges breach of contract, conversion and intentional interference with prospective economic advantage in the lawsuit, which doesn’t state a specific dollar amount he is seeking.
“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,” USC said Tuesday in a statement. “We look forward to defeating this action in court.”
Baker-Mazara claims the Trojans terminated his NIL agreements with the program the day after he was removed from the roster on March 1, stating he had violated a “morals clause.” The lawsuit alleges USC has not paid the remainder of the promised NIL earnings.
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“I gave everything I had to USC. I played through injuries, showed up for my teammates every day, and honored my commitments,” Baker-Mazara said Tuesday in a statement from his publicist. “Filing this lawsuit was not an easy decision, but I believe it is important to stand up for what you were promised and what you are owed.”
The lawsuit cites a locker room incident after the Trojans’ loss to Nebraska in which Baker-Mazara claimed Musselman “lost his mind” during a profanity-laced tirade in front of the team.
Baker-Mazara attempted to address his teammates in the locker room, the lawsuit says, when Musselman said, “You shut the (expletive) up! You are one of the worst teammates anyone…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/chad-baker-mazara-sues-usc-022343210.html
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Publish date : 2026-09-16 02:23:00
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