BREAKING: Chad Baker-Mazara Announces Return to Auburn for 2025-26 Season, Electrifies Tiger Nation

By Mary John

AUBURN, Ala. — Jordan-Hare Stadium may be known for football roars on Saturdays, but on this particular day, it was the basketball faithful who filled the air with thunderous applause. In a dramatic and emotional moment that captivated fans and sent waves across college basketball, Auburn Tigers senior Chad Baker-Mazara announced that he is returning for the 2025-26 season. The 25-year-old forward—the last of Auburn’s starting five yet to reveal his future—sent the Plains into a frenzy with five words that now echo in Auburn lore: “I’m not going anywhere.”

With those words, Baker-Mazara becomes the latest elite college player to buck the trend of early draft declarations and transfer portal moves, choosing loyalty, legacy, and the chance to finish what he and his teammates started. For Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl and the program’s fanbase, the decision is not just a roster development—it’s a symbol of belief, culture, and a potential championship window swinging wide open.

In the current climate of college basketball—where players chase professional opportunities, NIL deals, and sometimes just a change of scenery—Baker-Mazara’s decision to stay is not only rare but refreshing. The Dominican Republic native had plenty of reasons to leave. He led Auburn in scoring with 16.8 points per game, added 5.4 rebounds and 3.1 assists, and was projected as a mid-second-round NBA Draft pick or a top-tier overseas target. His versatility, 6-foot-7 frame, and improved shooting made him a valuable commodity.

Still, the decision came down to something that transcended draft boards or endorsements.

“I love Auburn. I love Coach Pearl. I love my teammates. And I’m not finished yet,” Baker-Mazara said during the surprise announcement, made mid-court after a spring football scrimmage, with thousands of fans in attendance. “This is about more than me. It’s about us. It’s about chasing something we’ve dreamed of—together.”

Chad Baker-Mazara’s path to Auburn was anything but linear. He began his college career at Duquesne before transferring to San Diego State. Then, in one of the most impactful transfer portal additions Bruce Pearl has ever secured, Baker-Mazara came to Auburn ahead of the 2023-24 season.

There were questions initially—about his fit, his discipline, and his ability to mesh with a fast-paced SEC style. He answered them all with maturity and passion, quickly becoming not just a starter, but a leader. By his second season, he had become the heart and soul of the Tigers’ locker room. Teammates lauded his intensity, competitive fire, and willingness to make sacrifices on and off the court.

“He’s the guy we all looked to in tight games,” teammate Tre Donaldson said. “When we needed a bucket, a stop, or just some belief, Chad gave it to us. Having him back? That’s everything.”

Chad’s return gives Auburn something that can’t be measured by statistics—continuity. For Bruce Pearl, whose coaching career has been defined by building culture just as much as wins, this is a landmark moment. With the rest of the 2024-25 starting five either graduating or entering the draft—Miles Kelly, Johni Broome, Denver Jones, and Chaney Johnson—Baker-Mazara could’ve walked away too.

Instead, he chose to be the bridge between eras.

“Legacy matters to me,” Baker-Mazara said. “I want to be remembered as one of the guys who helped Auburn reach that next level. I’ve got one more year to do that. And I’m going to make it count.”

Pearl, visibly emotional as he stood alongside his star forward, embraced him after the announcement. Later, he reflected on what Baker-Mazara’s choice meant to the program.

“There’s no NIL deal, no NBA paycheck that can replicate the feeling of building something special with people you care about,” Pearl said. “Chad gets that. And that’s why he’s special.”

With Baker-Mazara officially returning, the outlook for Auburn’s 2025-26 season improves dramatically. While the Tigers lose key veterans, they bring in a loaded recruiting class led by five-star guard Elijah Cunningham and top-50 wing Isaiah Favors. They also have high hopes for the continued development of sophomore big man Cameron Shaw and junior guard K.D. Beck.

But it’s the presence of Baker-Mazara that stabilizes and galvanizes the roster. His ability to play and guard multiple positions, initiate offense, and lead in crunch time gives Pearl a foundational star around whom to build.

“Every championship team needs that guy who’s been through the wars,” Auburn assistant coach Wes Flanigan said. “Chad’s battle-tested. And now, our young guys will learn from one of the best leaders we’ve ever had.”

Baker-Mazara’s return also sends a message across the Southeastern Conference. The Tigers, fresh off an Elite Eight run, are not rebuilding—they’re reloading. And they’re doing it with a core that understands the program’s expectations. Auburn now becomes a top-tier SEC contender once again, alongside Arkansas, Alabama, and Tennessee.

“You can pencil Auburn in the preseason Top 10 with Chad back,” said ESPN’s Joe Lunardi. “He’s a two-way weapon and the kind of leader who elevates everyone around him. It’s a big-time statement—not just for Auburn, but for college basketball.”

It didn’t take long for social media to erupt. “CBM25” trended nationally within minutes. Fans flocked to Toomer’s Corner to roll the trees in celebration. Even former Auburn stars like Jared Harper, Isaac Okoro, and Walker Kessler chimed in with congratulatory posts.

“This is what it’s all about,” Okoro tweeted. “Family. Loyalty. Let’s get that natty.”

For a program that’s climbed from SEC obscurity to national prominence under Pearl, moments like this validate the journey.

For Baker-Mazara, the most emotional part of his decision wasn’t the draft implications or media attention. It was talking to his teammates—especially those who were undecided on whether to transfer or stay.

“We’ve been through so much together,” he said. “Wins, losses, practices, injuries, late nights, early mornings. That bond? It’s real. And I couldn’t walk away from it yet.”

One of the teammates he reportedly spoke with was Elijah Cunningham, the incoming freshman projected to be Auburn’s next great point guard.

“He told me, ‘I got you, rook. We’re going to make history,’” Cunningham said. “That gave me chills. I’m ready to go to war with that dude.”

Baker-Mazara’s decision shines a light on a new kind of star in college basketball—one not entirely driven by the NBA or NIL. While he certainly benefits from Auburn’s robust NIL infrastructure, insiders say this wasn’t about money. This was about moments. About memories. About finishing what he started.

In a sport grappling with constant flux, his decision offers a rare anchor of stability.

“It’s about culture,” Pearl said. “We’ve built something here that makes young men want to stay. And that’s worth more than anything else.”

As he walked off the court following his announcement, Baker-Mazara was met by thousands of fans chanting his name. He paused, smiled, and raised one finger in the air—one more run, one more chance, one more shot at glory.

The 2025-26 season will be his final college campaign, and he knows the spotlight will be on him. But if his past two years are any indication, he’s more than ready.

“I’m home,” he said, nodding toward the orange-and-blue crowd. “And we’ve got work to do.”

Chad Baker-Mazara didn’t have to come back. He didn’t owe Auburn anything. But in returning, he gave the Tigers something they desperately needed: belief.

Belief that in an ever-changing world of college athletics, some players still care more about legacy than labels.

Belief that Auburn’s title window is not closing—it’s just beginning to open.

And belief that sometimes, the most powerful words in sports aren’t “I’m going pro,” but rather:

“I’m not going anywhere.”