Chad Baker-Mazara files lawsuit after dismissal from team

The former Trojan guard alleged Head Coach Eric Musselman launched a “racially-charged” rant.

By DILLON ZAMPERIN
Chad-Baker Mazara
Former USC guard Chad Baker-Mazara played on Head Coach Eric Musselman’s team last season before being dismissed. Baker-Mazara is pictured here in his final game with the Trojans against Nebraska on Feb. 28. (Ethan Thai / Daily Trojan file photo)

Content warning: this article contains profanity and references to racial insensitivity.

Former USC men’s basketball guard Chad Baker-Mazara filed a lawsuit Monday alleging men’s basketball Head Coach Eric Musselman launched “a profanity-laced, racially-charged post-game locker room tirade,” according to the California Post.

The lawsuit reportedly alleged that Musselman got into a verbal altercation with Baker-Mazara following a Feb. 28 loss to Nebraska, saying he was “one of the worst teammates anyone can ever have,” in addition to saying “Go back to the f—king Dominican Republic! Nobody wants you here!! F—k you!” Baker-Mazara was dismissed from the team the following day.

“Musselman’s outburst was a direct attack on Baker-Mazara’s national origin and Dominican heritage,” the lawsuit read, according to the California Post.


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In an interview with USA Today in June, Baker-Mazara said he had not heard from Musselman following the alleged altercation, but called the dismissal “hurtful” and said he thought he had a “strong” relationship with his former coach.

“[Musselman and I] didn’t see eye to eye on everything but at the end of the day, I feel like we had a strong enough relationship, or nothing bad enough happened, to where I should’ve been dismissed from the team,” Baker-Mazara said to USA Today in June.

Additionally, following Baker-Mazara’s recruitment to USC, the Trojans reportedly agreed to pay him through name, image and likeness money; USC had allegedly missed the payment, which the lawsuit claimed was on purpose. 

It was also alleged that after Baker-Mazara was dismissed, USC “moved to terminate his NIL agreements by stating he had violated a ‘morals clause.’”

Baker-Mazara is suing for breach of contract, conversion and intentional interference with prospective economic advantage, among other claims, according to the California Post.

In a statement to the Daily Trojan, USC wrote that “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 is out of college eligibility and was drafted this year by the Gigantes de Carolina, a professional basketball team in Puerto Rico.

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