It is safe to say that Bruce Pearl isn’t having a great month so far. A heartbreaking loss to Florida in the Final Four was already bad enough, but the Auburn head coach is losing several of his key players. The Tigers are waving goodbye to nearly their entire starting lineup, with Johni Broome leaving as one of only four NCAA players to hit major career marks. Dylan Cardwell, the heart-and-soul defensive anchor, Miles Kelly, a sharpshooting transfer, and Denver Jones, a clutch guard, are also gone due to graduation or eligibility limits. Even freshman Jahki Howard has hit the transfer portal, and veteran forward Chris Moore’s time is up after five years. However, no one expected one particular departure.

Chad Baker-Mazara’s collegiate career is nothing short of an underdog story. He went from being a JUCO player to being an indispensable part of Bruce Pearl’s Final Four campaign. However, it wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows for the six-foot-seven wing. His time at Auburn was turbulent, but CBM proved just how versatile he was. In the 2024-25 season, he averaged 12.3 points, 3 rebounds, and about 3 assists per game, and really showed up in the clutch.

However, the Auburn forward just announced that he will be entering the transfer portal for the 2025-26 college season. “First I wanna thank God for blessing me with the opportunity to do what I love but I wanna thank my teammates, coaching staff and the Auburn Family for the incredible support for this past two years! With this been said I would be entering the transfer portal. Gracias Auburn!” Baker-Mazara shared a lengthy farewell on X.

CBM was Auburn’s second-leading scorer, and his shooting truly solidified the Tigers’ offense. After the Final Four loss, his eligibility was left in a state of limbo. He had already competed for five years at the college level, but a recent ruling by the NCAA has allowed CBM another year of eligibility.

His decision to transfer, however, was completely left-field for Auburn fans. A few days ago, they were filled with hope about a potential return, but it seems like Chad Baker-Mazara will be looking for better opportunities now. The question is how Bruce Pearl will navigate the gaping holes in his roster.

With a keen eye for talent, Bruce Pearl goes the JuCo route again

Even with the departures of Johni Broome, Miles Kelly, Dylan Cardwell, and now Chad Baker-Mazara, Auburn is not heading towards panic stations. Yes, the losses hurt, but that’s part and parcel of organized, high-level basketball.

Auburn’s 32 wins, second-straight SEC title, and Final Four run made 2024-25 a dream season, but losing 10 seniors means change was coming. The transfer portal’s a wild ride across college hoops, with teams like Auburn, who leaned on five transfers last year, feeling the heat. Still, Pearl’s diving into the portal and beyond to rebuild.

International talent is on the rise in college basketball! Khaman Maluach, Kasparas Jakucionis, and Tomislav Ivisic have been hooping out in this past season. So it is not completely out of the blue to look towards foreign players. However, Pearl is taking it a step further by looking at JUCO and D3 hoopers as well.

Pearl’s knack for spotting diamonds in the rough, like Baker-Mazara and Broome, is why Auburn keeps landing stars from unexpected places. He’s also got a top-100 high school class locked in—Sebastian Williams-Adams, Kaden Magwood, and Simon Walker—to build for the future.

Chad Baker-Mazara has proven over the last two seasons that JUCO hoopers are legit! So, Pearl cast his net, and found Emeka Opurum. The seven-foot center from Lagos, Nigeria has been balling out in the JUCO circuit this past season, earning conference Defensive Player of the Year honors as well!

On Thursday, Auburn announced that they signed Opurum, a day after they signed another JUCO hooper in Abdul Bashir. It seems like Bruce Pearl is going into overdrive to solidify his team, and we respect the hustle! It will be interesting to see how the new-look Auburn Tigers fare this coming season.