The SEC cemented its status as the top conference in college basketball last season, highlighted by Florida’s national championship and strong tournament showings from other programs like Auburn, which reached the Final Four.
Auburn, under head coach Bruce Pearl, had a historic 32-win season—the most in school history—driven by experienced players including Naismith Player of the Year runner-up Johni Broome, Miles Kelly, and Chad Baker-Mazara.
In a surprise move after the season, Baker-Mazara entered the transfer portal and announced Monday that he is committing to USC, signaling a move to the Big Ten for the remainder of his college career.
“Dreams turned into reality!! Let’s go to work!! #committed,” he posted.
A four-star transfer according to 247Sports, Baker-Mazara was unranked out of high school but became a key contributor at Auburn. He is currently rated the No. 5 small forward and No. 24 overall player in the portal.
Originally from the Dominican Republic, Baker-Mazara was expected to take on a bigger role for Auburn next season following Broome’s departure. Last season, he averaged 12.3 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game. He spent the last two seasons with Auburn after earlier stints at Duquesne and San Diego State.