How old is Chad Baker-Mazara? Fact-checking age rumors after USC guard’s departure from team

How old is Chad Baker-Mazara? Fact-checking age rumors after USC guard’s departure from team originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Chad Baker-Mazara's name has been in the headlines, and for all the wrong reasons.

Despite being a talented forward who played for USC and Auburn, the Trojans recently announced Baker-Mazara was no longer on the team. This came after he was seen leaving Saturday's game against Nebraska and refusing to sit on the team's bench.

Baker-Mazara was the Trojans' second leading scorer this season and started in 22 of 26 games for the team.

Recently, his age became a topic of debate on social media. One satire account even garnered almost five million views on a post incorrectly citing Baker-Mazara's age.

Here's what to know about how the saga unfolded.

MORE: Chad Baker-Mazara controversy, explained: Why did USC abruptly dismiss him

How old is Chad Baker-Mazara?

Baker-Mazara is 26 years old (born Jan. 27, 2000). He was one of the oldest players in college basketball during the 2025-26 season before leaving the team permanently.

Interesting part of Nebraska vs. USC game yesterday, Chad Baker-Mazara left the game with an injury briefly, came back out to the court but didn't sit on the main bench with the team rather courtside for the rest of the game.

Today, USC moves on from Baker-Mazara.⬇️ https://t.co/PQdAqQco8Ppic.twitter.com/RXt0syRiDE— Chase Matteson (@ChaseMatteson) March 1, 2026

He was in his sixth collegiate season, playing at USC, Auburn, Northwest Florida State, San Diego State, and Duquesne.

A tweet from Shane Tuttle recently went viral, saying Baker-Mazara left USC after an investigation determined he falsified his birth certificate and that he was actually 32 years old and a father of 4.

Chad Baker-Mazara was dismissed from the USC men’s basketball team yesterday after an internal investigation determined he falsified his birth certificate.

An anonymous tip reportedly suggested that the Dominican native is actually 32 years old and a father of 4. pic.twitter.com/l4STpL5Ujk— Shane Tuttle (@ShaneTuttleNCAA) March 2, 2026

The tweet fooled many on X, formerly known as Twitter, and currently has close to five million views.

MORE: Former NBA All-Star slams USC for dropping 'best player'

Why did Chad Baker-Mazara leave USC and Auburn?

While USC didn't immediately share why Baker-Mazara was dismissed from the program, according to The LA Times, it was more than just one incident that moved the school to announce that one of its leading scorers was no longer on the team.

Baker-Mazara left Saturday’s loss to Nebraska shortly into the second half due to an apparent injury. After the game, USC coach Eric Musselman shared that Baker-Mazara told coaches he was unable to return. He then spent the rest of the game in a folding chair on the baseline.

Prior to this season, Baker-Mazara played a huge role in Auburn's 2025 March Madness showing. 

Despite being the leading scorer in Auburn's 2025 Final Four loss to the eventual champion Florida Gators, Baker-Mazara entered the transfer portal. 

According to the Field of 68, Baker-Mazara was upset when he learned that incoming UCF transfer Keyshawn Hall was doubling his $1.1 million NIL package to stay at 0Auburn.

After hearing this, Baker-Mazara entered the transfer portal to eventually join USC.

Who is Shane Tuttle?

Shane Tuttle is a satire account that creates false tweets about college sports. Despite having "Everything I do is Satire" in his bio, Tuttle has fooled many people with his fake tweets.

Some topics include: Darryn Peterson being listed as out due to a belly-button piercing, members of Miami (Ohio) being caught after curfew at Chuck E. Cheese, and former college football coaches Mel Tucker and Sherrone Moore starting a podcast to discuss themes of leadership, adversity, and growth beyond football.

Tuttle's recent tweet about Baker-Mazara's age has become his most popular to date.

Satirical accounts like Tuttle's have become quite popular on X. It is important for users to check an account's bio for mentions of being a satirical account, or they can risk looking foolish by taking the bait from accounts like these.