USC Lawsuit Over Racial Tirade
Former USC basketball player Chad Baker-Mazara sues university and coach over alleged racial tirade.
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Key Points
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Baker-Mazara started the Nebraska game and scored 14 points in the first half before aggravating a knee injury while blocking a shot and sitting out the second half; USC announced the following day that he was no longer with the team.
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The complaint alleges USC’s NIL collective told Baker-Mazara’s representatives on Feb. 13 that a missed February payment would be forthcoming, before the school allegedly moved to terminate his agreements under a morals clause after his removal.
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The lawsuit seeks punitive damages and reimbursement of Baker-Mazara’s attorney fees in addition to damages for the alleged contract and interference claims.
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Baker-Mazara had previously played at Duquesne, San Diego State, a Florida community college and Auburn, where he reached the NCAA Tournament Final Four, before transferring to USC for his final season of eligibility.
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In a June interview, Baker-Mazara said he had not heard from Musselman after the alleged confrontation and described the dismissal as hurtful, saying he believed they had a strong enough relationship that he should not have been removed from the team.
Former USC basketball player Chad Baker-Mazara sued the university and coach Eric Musselman, alleging that Musselman unleashed a profanity-laced, racially charged tirade at him in the locker room after USC's Feb. 28 loss to Nebraska. Winnipeg Free Press reported that Baker-Mazara, born in the Dominican Republic, claims Musselman told him to return there. The lawsuit also alleges USC removed him from the roster and withheld roughly one-third of a reported $3 million NIL and revenue-sharing deal.
USC denies that race played any role in Baker-Mazara's removal and says it expects to defeat the lawsuit, Newsday reported. Musselman has not publicly responded to the allegations. Baker-Mazara seeks damages for breach of contract, conversion, and interference with prospective economic advantage, along with punitive damages and attorney fees.
The Nebraska Game and Sudden Dismissal
Baker-Mazara started USC's game against Nebraska on Feb. 28 and scored 14 points in the first half. While blocking a shot in the second half, he aggravated a knee injury and sat out the rest of the game. SF Gate reported that USC announced the following day he was no longer with the team, without initially providing details about the circumstances.
Alleged Locker Room Confrontation Over Race
According to NH Register, the lawsuit alleges Musselman directed racially charged remarks at Baker-Mazara following the Nebraska loss. Baker-Mazara, who was born in the Dominican Republic, claims Musselman told him to return to his home country as part of the profanity-laced tirade. Baker-Mazara said in a June interview that he had not heard from Musselman after the confrontation and described the dismissal as hurtful.
The NIL Payment Dispute and Morals Clause Termination
The complaint alleges that USC's NIL collective told Baker-Mazara's representatives on Feb. 13 that a missed February payment would be forthcoming. SF Chronicle reported that USC then allegedly moved to terminate his agreements under a morals clause after removing him from the team, withholding roughly one-third of his $3 million NIL and revenue-sharing deal.
Baker-Mazara's Path Through College Basketball
Baker-Mazara had previously played at Duquesne, San Diego State, a Florida community college, and Auburn, where he reached the NCAA Tournament Final Four. He transferred to USC for his final season of eligibility. In his June interview, Baker-Mazara said he believed he had built a strong enough relationship with Musselman that removal from the team should not have happened without conversation.
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