Announcing the departure of a college basketball team’s leading scorer mid-season is a stunning development. But to do that in March, when magic and madness converge every year in the NCAA, is a damning indictment. That is exactly what has happened in men’s college basketball as the USC Trojans parted ways with Chad Baker-Mazara.

The USC Trojans released a statement announcing the 26-year-old’s departure from the college program. Chad was having his best season to date in what has been a long college basketball career, averaging 18.5 points per game for the USC Trojans.

A college journeyman, Chad spent two years playing for the Auburn Tigers under Bruce Pearl, who broke his silence and commented on the 26-year-old’s high draft stock last year and his obvious talents on the court.

“On a good day, last year in the NBA draft… he would’ve been about the 20th best player taken… but we all know Chad has bad days. An incredibly talented kid with a real gift,” said Bruce Pearl about Chad Baker-Mazara.

Chad Baker-Mazara featured in USC’s loss to Nebraska but sat out most of the second half after a hard fall upon his attempt to block a shot. The 26-year-old sat among the crowd instead of the bench, something the media noted and asked head coach Eric Musselman about after the game.

While Musselman deflected by suggesting a lack of chairs on the bench as the reason, the sudden departure could stem from the incident and its aftereffects. The 26-year-old is the latest example of how NIL deals can sometimes backfire for college programs.

Chad Baker-Mazara has had a long college basketball career, amassing 1639 points while representing the likes of Duquesne, San Diego State, Auburn, and USC. Baker-Mazara had previously announced his plans to return for a 7th year in college basketball next season. But it looks like he will have to find a new home to prolong his college basketball career.

For the USC Trojans, though, the postseason just got harder as they enter it without their leading scorer for the season. The sudden void in scoring and leadership immediately shifts the spotlight onto freshman Alijah Arenas, a high-profile recruit whose season has been a rollercoaster of its own.

USC Trojans’ NIL troubles set the stage for Alijah Arenas

Baker-Mazara’s exit compounds a season of frustrating setbacks for the Trojans. Head coach Eric Musselman led his team to a great start to the 2025-26 season, with two fresh additions, Chad Baker-Mazara and Rodney Rice, generating an instant return on their NIL deals.

However, losing Rodney Rice for the rest of the season already forced the USC Trojans to go into their Big Ten conference matches reeling. While Musselman steadied the ship, the Trojans have now lost 5 games in a row in a forgettable February streak.

Baker-Mazara’s exit from the college program means the Trojans’ investment in the NIL deals is now obsolete for the season. But this only sets the stage for freshman Alijah Arenas to capture the headlines at USC. The freshman had a delayed start to the season as he was nursing a knee injury.

While Alijah Arenas is an undeniable talent, his inconsistent performance has been the center of debate this season. Some pointed fingers at the head coach for his handling of the 18-year-old as Musselman publicly questioned Alijah’s shooting efficiency in their one-point loss to the Oregon Ducks.

Regardless, Alijah Arenas has shown his ability to decide games and will be the star in charge of the Trojans’ offense in the absence of Rodney Rice and Baker-Mazara.

As Alijah Arenas continues his climb up the NBA Draft projections, a deep run with USC in the Big Ten Tournament could see the 18-year-old become a guaranteed first-round pick in what looks like one of the most stacked draft boards for the NBA teams.