According to Chad Baker-Mazara, it was a “dream turned into reality.” Weeks after Auburn lost to Florida, the eventual national champion, in the last Four, the former guard for the Auburn Tigers revealed on Monday that he was transferring to USC for his last season of NCAA eligibility.
The 25-year-old guard is switching teams for the seventh time in as many seasons, and his news sparked a flurry of social media responses. After spending a year studying under Bruce Pearl at Auburn, Baker-Mazara decided to return to California following spells at Duquesne, San Diego State, and Northwest Florida State.
Johni Broome, the top big man for Auburn, shared his thoughts on Baker-Mazara’s transfer decision on Instagram. “Yaaa CB,” Broome said in favor of his old teammate’s selection under Baker-Mazara’s Instagram announcement.
On Auburn’s 2024–25 squad, which came within two victories of winning the program’s first-ever national title, Broome and Baker-Mazara stood out. During Pearl’s 11-year tenure as head coach, the Tigers advanced to the Final Four for just the second time in program history and started the NCAA Tournament with the top overall seed.
Although Broome was selected as a unanimous All-American and SEC Player of the Year, Baker-Mazara’s long reach and 6’7″ stature made him an important defensive component for the Tigers. However, the Santo Domingo native showed versatility by playing defense at many spots, scoring 12 points a game, and shooting 38 percent from three-point range.
Baker-Mazara could benefit greatly from those attributes when he completes his time at USC. Under second-year head coach Eric Musselman, the Trojans aim to make a comeback to the NCAA Tournament in 2025–2026, and Baker-Mazara’s experience should be crucial to that goal.
