USC is pushing back against allegations from former USC men’s basketball guard Chad Baker-Mazara, who filed a lawsuit against the university Monday. The suit alleged that head coach Eric Musselman directed racially discriminatory remarks towards him during a “post-game locker room tirade.”
The lawsuit, which was obtained by Annenberg Media, states that Baker-Mazara is suing for breach of contract, breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing, conversion, unjust enrichment and intentional interference with prospective economic advantage.
Baker-Mazara claimed that after an 82-67 loss to Nebraska on Feb. 28, Musselman “lost his mind in a profanity-laced tirade in the locker room in front of the entire team.” In this outburst, the suit alleged that Musselman screamed at Baker-Mazara, saying “You shut the f–k up! You are one of the worst teammates anyone can ever have!”
Baker-Mazara allegedly responded, “Wow, Coach, do you need me to leave because I don’t understand this animosity.”
Musselman, according to the suit, told Baker-Mazara: “Yes, leave! Go back to the f–king Dominican Republic.”
The next day, Baker-Mazara was dismissed from the team.
The Los Angeles Times published a story suggesting that Baker-Mazara’s “history of bad behavior” led to an “accumulation of issues” that caused his sudden dismissal.
USC Athletics said in a statement provided to Annenberg Media that race did not have anything to do with Baker-Mazara’s removal from the roster.
“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,” the statement said. “We look forward to defeating this action in court.”
Baker-Mazara was a graduate transfer from Auburn and averaged 18.5 points per game alongside 4.2 rebounds last season for the Trojans. He took over as the star player for parts of the season when injuries took down Alijah Arenas and Rodney Rice.
Baker-Mazara is also alleging that USC didn’t hold up its end of the bargain on Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals, which give student-athletes legal control over how their image is used commercially.
“USC then used Baker-Mazara’s purported dismissal from the team as a pretext to not pay the remaining monies owing under his ‘NIL’ contracts,” the lawsuit alleged.
Baker-Mazara’s representatives said the player did not receive the NIL funds he was promised by the time he was promised them.
According to the suit, Baker-Mazara believes that USC “purposefully delayed making the payment due Feb. 2026, so it could ‘wait-and-see’ what would happen in the Nebraska game and whether the Trojans would make the NCAA Tournament.”
The suit alleged that if USC lost and missed the cut for the NCAA Tournament, “USC would deny payment and save for itself the remaining very substantial balance or its next recruiting class as Baker-Mazara was out of eligibility.”
“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 in a statement to the California Post. “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.”
Musselman is entering his third season as USC head coach, following five seasons at Arkansas. In his time, the Trojans haven’t made the NCAA Tournament. USC finished 17-18 in his first season and 18-14 in his second.
Annenberg Media reached out to Baker-Mazara’s attorney for comment but has not received a response.
Edited by JohVonne Roberts and Jadon Frank