Auburn’s Last Starting Piece, Chad Baker-Mazara, Joins the Transfer Portal!

Chad Baker-Mazara, the last remaining starter from Auburn’s Final Four lineup, has officially entered the transfer portal, the program announced Thursday.

The 6-foot-7 wing, who started all 34 games for the Tigers this past season, turns the page with one year of eligibility remaining, thanks to the NCAA’s temporary waiver for athletes who previously played at non-NCAA programs like junior colleges or NAIA schools. Now 25, Baker-Mazara spent the last two seasons at Auburn following stints at Northwest Florida State, San Diego State, and Duquesne. His freshman year with the Dukes didn’t count toward his eligibility due to the NCAA’s COVID-related blanket waiver in 2020-21.

An unpredictable but vital piece of Auburn’s recent success, Baker-Mazara averaged 12.3 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 2.7 assists this past season while shooting an impressive 38.1% from beyond the arc. He flashed serious scoring ability when he caught fire from deep, notably dropping 18 points in the national semifinal against Florida and delivering back-to-back 22-point performances against Ole Miss and Kentucky late in the regular season.

With his departure, head coach Bruce Pearl has now seen all five starters from last season’s No. 1 overall NCAA tournament seed move on. All-American big man Johni Broome, along with Denver Jones, Dylan Cardwell, and Miles Kelly, have all exhausted their eligibility.

Despite the turnover, Pearl is actively reshaping the roster through the portal. Auburn has already added Keyshawn Hall from UCF and KeShawn Murphy from Mississippi State to help reload for the 2025–26 campaign.