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Johni Broome’s 2-Word Reaction to Chad Bazer-Mazara’s USC Decision

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Jeremy Beren | Last updated Apr 28, 2025 12:34 PM ET

Chad Baker-Mazara called it a "dream turned into reality." On Monday, the former Auburn Tigers guard announced that he was transferring to USC for his final season of NCAA eligibility, weeks after Auburn suffered a Final Four defeat to Florida, the eventual national champion.

Baker-Mazara's announcement drew a wave of reactions on social media; it marks the fifth time in as many seasons that the 25-year-old guard is changing teams. After stints at Duquesne, San Diego State and Northwest Florida State, Baker-Mazara has opted to return to California after a year learning from Bruce Pearl at Auburn.

On Instagram, Auburn's star big man Johni Broome revealed his stance for Baker-Mazara's transfer decision. Under Baker-Mazara's announcement on Instagram, Broome commented "Yaaa CB," in support of his former teammate's choice.

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A post shared by Chad Baker-Mazara (@cbuckets27)

Broome and Baker-Mazara stood out on Auburn's 2024-25 team, which finished two wins shy of securing the program's first-ever national championship. The Tigers entered the NCAA Tournament as its #1 overall seed and reached the Final Four for only the second time in program history -- both during Pearl's 11-year stint as the head coach.

While Broome was named SEC Player of the Year and a consensus All-American, Baker-Mazara's 6'7'' frame and long reach helped him become a key defensive cog for the Tigers. The Santo Domingo native though demonstrated an all-around skillset, guarding multiple positions on defense while averaging 12 points per game and shooting 38 percent from 3-point range.

Those qualities should serve Baker-Mazara well as he wraps up his college career at USC. The Trojans hope to return to the NCAA Tournament in 2025-26 under second-year head coach Eric Musselman, with the experience of Baker-Mazara likely to prove important to that pursuit.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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