USC forward Chad Baker-Mazara, the team’s leading scorer, is no longer a member of the men’s basketball program, the school announced Sunday in a brief statement that offered no reason or details for the sudden departure .
The announcement comes at a critical juncture for the Trojans (18-11, 7-11 Big Ten), who have lost five straight games and are fighting to keep their NCAA Tournament hopes alive with just two regular-season contests remaining .
The Final Game
The 26-year-old graduate student’s last appearance came in Saturday’s 82-67 home loss to No. 12 Nebraska. Baker-Mazara scored 14 points in 19 minutes but played only three minutes in the second half after taking a hard fall while blocking a shot .
After the game, coach Eric Musselman said Baker-Mazara told coaches he “couldn’t go,” adding that he had not spoken to a trainer about the player’s condition .
What raised eyebrows was what happened next: Baker-Mazara returned to the court but sat on the baseline adjacent to the team bench alongside injured guard Rodney Rice, chatting with fans rather than joining his teammates . Musselman later attributed this to a shortage of chairs on the bench .
An Accumulation of Issues
According to the Los Angeles Times, a person familiar with the situation said it wasn’t any single incident, but an accumulation of issues that led to Baker-Mazara’s departure .
The sixth-year senior had become less reliable during Big Ten play, with multiple games where he played fewer than 20 minutes for reasons that were not always clear . At times, health was a factor—he missed three games in February with a knee injury—but other absences remained unexplained .
A Winding College Journey
Baker-Mazara’s departure likely ends one of college basketball’s more nomadic careers. The Dominican Republic native played for five programs in six seasons :
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Duquesne (2020-21): His freshman season
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San Diego State (2021-22): Earned Mountain West Sixth Man of the Year honors
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Northwest Florida State College (2022-23): A junior college stop
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Auburn (2023-25): His most successful stint, helping the Tigers reach the 2025 Final Four and earning All-SEC honors
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USC (2025-26): His final season
At USC, Baker-Mazara averaged career highs of 18.5 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 2.8 assists while starting 22 of 26 games . He was named MVP of the Maui Invitational, which the Trojans won in November .
When lead guard Rodney Rice was lost for the season in November due to a shoulder injury, Baker-Mazara stepped up, averaging 26 points over the remaining seven non-conference games .
What’s Next
USC now faces the final week of the regular season without its top offensive weapon. The Trojans travel to Washington on Wednesday before hosting crosstown rival UCLA on March 7 . The Big Ten Tournament begins March 10 .
According to ESPN’s Neil Paine, USC’s chances of making the NCAA Tournament now stand at just 14% .
As for Baker-Mazara, with NCAA eligibility rules under legal challenge, it appears his 145-game college career is over .
