Chad Baker-Mazara has selected a new collegiate basketball squad after departing the Auburn Tigers this spring. The guard’s school-to-be satisfied his high NIL criteria and then some.
After using the transfer portal for a few days, Baker-Mazara committed to USC on Monday. Information about his NIL deal is rapidly emerging.
After a week of drama, the transfer story is finally coming to an end. Baker-Mazara was a key member of the Tigers‘ Final Four squad in 2024-25, averaging 12.3 points each night.
With the hope of playing at Auburn as a super senior, he decided to go back to school for a sixth season. When he saw the price tag of a new partner, everything changed.
This summer, Chad Baker-Mazara agreed to a contract with the Tigers that was at least $1 million in value. Keyshawn Hall, an incoming transfer, was subsequently paid $2.2 million by the program to join the roster.
Baker-Mazara called for a wage increase. According to reports, Auburn increased its offer but declined the guard’s request. Then he stepped through the portal.
Consequently, there was a breach of contract. According to the rules of his contract, he was responsible for an additional $600,000 if he ended up signing a new contract with a different organization. He seems likely to do so.
Chad Baker-Mazara committed to USC
Regardless of the repercussions, he intends to cancel the Auburn deal. His new contract appears to take it into consideration.
Baker-Mazara intends to join the Trojans under former SEC coach Eric Musselman. For that commitment, USC is reportedly spending at least $3 million.
On3 Sports’ Justin Hokanson gave a succinct account of all that happened behind the scenes. The anticipated pay for Baker-Mazara’s last season was provided by a reliable source. There are several reasons why that figure is important.
First of all, it far surpasses the $2 million that Baker-Mazara may have been looking for after viewing Keyshawn Hall’s contract. Additionally, an additional $1 million remains, of which $600,000 can be utilized to reimburse Auburn.
It looks like Chad Baker-Mazara got what he wanted. In addition to providing him a raise, his new team is also paying off a debt he incurred from his previous institution.
Auburn must first decide whether to uphold the breach of contract ruling. Others at the SEC have recently filed lawsuits to try to enforce buyout terms.
The Tigers should have little trouble recovering money if the NIL reports are accurate. Both sides may end up benefiting from it.
