Former USC guard Chad Baker-Mazara filed a lawsuit against coach Eric Musselman and the university following his dismissal from the team in early March, according to the California Post .
Many will remember the adversities that the Trojans' team dealt with late last season. They were trying to make a postseason run after dealing with a number of injuries and facing a four-game losing streak.
Mar 11, 2026; Chicago, IL, USA; Southern California Trojans guard Kam Woods (13) reacts during the overtime at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Then came that dark night in late February where, according to Baker-Mazara's lawsuit filed Monday in the Los Angeles Superior Court, it all stemmed from.
Facing a three-point deficit against No. 12 Nebraska early in the third quarter, Baker-Mazara hit the hardwood floor hard after defending a layup. After heading into the locker room, Baker-Mazara returned to the bench, where he saw the Trojans' 82-67 loss to the Cornhuskers.
Jan 31, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans guard Chad Baker-Mazara (4) celebrates at the end of the game against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Galen Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
No one knew it, but that was the last time Baker-Mazara would be seen in a Trojans uniform. By the next morning, the Trojan's leading scorer was dismissed from the program.
In the new development, Baker-Mazara's lawsuit, first obtained by the California Post 's Edward Lewis , alleges there was an incident that occurred in the Trojans locker room after the conclusion of the Nebraska game.
Jan 31, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Eric Musselman reacts against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights in the second half at Galen Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
According to the suit, Musselman "launched into a profanity-laced, racially-charged post-game locker room tirade" against Baker-Mazara.
It alleges Musselman yelled at the team after the Trojans' lobsided loss. When Baker-Mazara attempted to address his teammates, the former Arkansas coach erupted on the guard and said "You shut the (expletive) up! You are one of the worst teammates anyone could ever have."
Baker-Mazar also claims Musselman responded, "Yes, leave! Go back to the (expletive) Dominican Republic! Nobody wants you here!! (Expletive) you!"
The lawsuit states the remarks made by Musselman were taken by Baker-Mazara "to be racist and discriminatory, akin to telling an African American to go back to Africa."
Jan 9, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Southern California Trojans forward Chad Baker-Mazara (4) looks on during the second half against the Minnesota Golden Gophers at Williams Arena. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Baker-Mazara added in the lawsuit that USC and its agents and representatives damaged his character to "at least one media outlet" after his dismissal, never citing or releasing a reason for his departure.
The former star transfer helped lead Auburn to a Final Four appearance under former Tigers coach Bruce Pearl, who spoke about the situation of Baker-Mazara's dismissal from USC back in March.
"My grandfather always told me if you don't have something good to say about somebody, don't say anything at all. But I've got something good to say about Chad Baker-Mazara. He helped us get to the Final Four, we won a league championship with him. On a good day, last year in the NBA Draft, on his good day, he would've been about the 20th-best player taken in the NBA Draft last year on a good day," said Pearl.
"But we all know that Chad has bad days. So, an incredibly talented kid with a real gift. . . He's got just a really good feel for it, he knows how to play, he really competes. His emotions at times have gotten the better of him, I have no idea what happened at USC," Pearl continued.
The 26-year-old Baker-Mazara wasn't selected in this year's NBA draft but is expecting to play professionally in Puerto Rico. Before USC, he had played at four other schools, including Duquesne, San Diego State, and Auburn.
While Musselman has yet to comment on the matter, a USC spokesperson spoke to the California Post stating Baker-Mazara's dismissal had nothing to do with race and that they intend to "defeating this action in court."
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/usc as USC Coach Eric Musselman Faces Serious Allegations in Lawsuit Before Season .
