Former USC basketball star Chad Baker-Mazara has filed a lawsuit against the school alleging he was dismissed from the team so the school could avoid paying him the terms of his NIL deal.
In the lawsuit, Baker-Mazara also alleges that coach Eric Musselman used racist language toward him when tossing him off the team.
The lawsuit alleges that USC avoided paying Baker-Mazara the money he was still owed on his NIL deal once the school missed the NCAA Tournament, via CJ Moore of The Athletic. It also highlights an alleged interaction between Baker-Mazara and Musselman following a Feb. 28 loss to Nebraska, in which Musselman allegedly called Baker-Mazara “one of the worst teammates anyone can ever have.”
When Baker-Mazara asked Musselman if the coach wanted him to leave, Musselman allegedly told him to “go back to the f—ing Dominican Republic! Nobody wants you here!”
Baker-Mazara was kicked off the team the next day, with the school supposedly claiming he violated a morals clause in his agreement without any further explanation.
A USC spokesperson denied the allegations, saying “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.”
Baker-Mazara played one season at USC after transferring from Auburn. He had courted controversy at his previous stop by getting ejected from an NCAA Tournament game and taking to social media in the locker room while the game was still going on.
