USC men’s basketball coach Eric Musselman spoke publicly for the first time Thursday about a lawsuit accusing him of a racist tirade and a separate viral confrontation with a beachgoer, telling reporters he needs to “get better” without directly addressing the legal claims against him.
Speaking at the Galen Center practice facility during the team’s pro day in front of more than a dozen NBA scouts, Musselman said, “I mean, I gotta get better, you know? Obviously apologized about the beach incident, wanna get better and wanna improve, wanna be a lifelong learner, you know? So for us, it’s about moving forward and trying to get better in every aspect we can.”
When asked specifically about a lawsuit filed by former Trojans guard Chad Baker-Mazara, who alleges Musselman “lost his mind” during a locker-room outburst, the coach declined to comment.
Baker-Mazara’s lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles, claims Musselman became volatile after the guard left a late-February game against Nebraska with an injury. According to the filing, when Baker-Mazara tried to address teammates in the locker room by saying “Hey guys!”, Musselman shouted back, “You shut the f—k up! You are one of the worst teammates anyone can ever have!”
“Wow Coach, do you need me to leave, because I don’t understand this animosity,” Baker-Mazara allegedly responded.
The lawsuit further alleges Musselman told him, “Yes, leave! Go back to the f—king Dominican Republic! Nobody wants you here!! F—k you!” Baker-Mazara, a native of the Dominican Republic, was dismissed from the team the next day. The suit accuses USC and its representatives of damaging his character with at least one media outlet after his departure and claims the school voided his NIL contract by invoking a “morals clause.” Baker-Mazara is pursuing claims including breach of contract, conversion and intentional interference with prospective economic advantage, seeking damages for harm to his NBA prospects.
Musselman was also asked whether he was concerned about how the lawsuit and a separate viral beach video might affect perceptions of him and the USC program, particularly with recruits. He did not answer that question directly, instead pivoting to describe the state of his roster.
“Yeah, the recruiting right now has been, you know, great,” he said. “You know, we’re trying to decide with name, image and likeness where our freshmen — the ’27 class — where we land. But yeah, we feel like the recruiting’s going really well. This group has been totally focused on the upcoming season and from a chemistry standpoint, this group’s probably been as close as any group that I’ve had and probably been the funnest group that I’ve coached as well.”
The Beach Confrontation
The second controversy stems from a mid-September incident at the Manhattan Beach Pier, where Musselman confronted a man using a metal detector who had wandered into the background of a team photo shoot. The man told the California Post that a member of Musselman’s staff had first asked him to move and he declined, after which Musselman approached and the exchange escalated.
Video of the encounter shows Musselman telling the man to “shut the f—k up” and calling him a “f—king d—khead.” When the man responded, “No,” Musselman asked, “What do you mean, no?” The man replied, “I mean, no. There’s a camera right there.” Musselman then moved closer and said, “Somebody should f—king drop your ass is what should happen,” before walking away.
Musselman later issued a statement apologizing for his conduct. “I know the responsibilities that come with my role, and while I was trying to step in and support my coach, I definitely should have handled this situation better and will learn from this for the future,” he wrote.
Musselman enters his third season leading USC with a roster that includes five former McDonald’s All-Americans, as the Trojans seek their first NCAA tournament appearance under his tenure.
