When Chad Baker-Mazara was given a Flagrant 2 foul during the 2024 NCAA Tournament’s first-round loss to Yale, head coach Bruce Pearl showed a now-familiar sentiment. Despite Baker-Mazara being ejected less than four minutes into the game for throwing an elbow at Yale’s August Mahoney, Pearl still stood by his player.

“I would also like to remind our fans and anybody listening that Chad owned up to that mistake. And he’s apologized for that mistake. And he’s taken responsibility for it, although the consequences were really, really significant. And he feels really bad. He’s struggling with that right now,” Pearl said. That moment spoke volumes about the bond between Mazara and Pearl. But things aren’t quite the same anymore.

It all comes after the Tigers’ standout surprisingly entered the transfer portal, despite starting 34 games during Auburn’s run to the Final Four. The 6-foot-7 wing had one year of eligibility left, thanks to the NCAA’s temporary waiver allowing athletes who competed at non-NCAA schools, junior colleges, or NAIA programs to play at a fourth school in 2025–26.

Sure, everyone was aware of his eligibility. But entering the transfer portal? That caught people off guard.

Baker-Mazara was a critical, albeit enigmatic part of Auburn’s success over the past couple of seasons, averaging 12.3 points and nearly 3 rebounds per game. Not to mention his clutch perimeter shooting, including an 18-point performance against Florida in the national semifinals. So, simply put, he had no reason to leave, except one: NIL.

According to reports by Mike G, the Dominican standout entered the transfer portal due to money issues. “A deal was signed and the Baker-Mazara camp is still shopping, trying to get a better deal as they feel his market value has risen. There’s more to come on this in the next week or so—but welcome to the NIL era,” read a tweet from the source.

So, all that bond, the stat line, and being a top contender at Auburn ultimately came down to one factor—NIL deals. But Pearl had already seen it coming. In fact, he voiced his concerns during an appearance on Fox News Channel’s Special Report alongside U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville.

“We’re teaching kids to flee, not fight,” he said, without sugarcoating his words. And he had a point. According to On3, nearly 1,900 basketball players entered the portal last year alone. Among them, two players landed deals totaling $2 million. One conference player of the year reportedly secured $500,000, while a guard walked away with $450,000.

Given that context, Baker-Mazara entering the portal makes more sense. “What is my market value? How much will I get if I go to that school?” Pearl added, describing how NIL has turned recruiting into a transactional process.

Notably, men’s basketball alone accounts for an estimated $389 million of the $1.7 billion NIL market. And while Pearl didn’t speak directly about his team, deep down, he likely knew this day was coming.

Despite surviving a year, Bruce Pearl fell to major collegiate concern

Last year, the Auburn Tigers and Bruce Pearl managed to survive the NIL and transfer portal era. The team started strong with an 11-1 record and used the transfer portal to their advantage. For example, Johni Broome landed at Auburn and has since bolstered the team’s presence.

He was instrumental in Auburn’s 32-6 record, an SEC regular season championship title, and a Final Four appearance. In fact, during the Elite Eight, he recorded 25 points on 10-of-13 shooting along with 14 rebounds in a win over Michigan State. But this season’s transfer portal didn’t let Pearl off so easily.

And to be honest, he saw it coming. In fact, he’s been troubled by the lack of a national NIL standard that creates an uneven playing field. Some states and schools are bending the rules to gain a competitive edge. Above all, athletes now get to transfer multiple times during their collegiate careers, which poses challenges for both coaches and teams. “It’s tough for schools and even tougher for the kids themselves,” he noted, pointing out the instability this creates.

But he isn’t the only one raising concerns. Even Auburn’s alumni, who once led the team to its first-ever NCAA appearance, feel the same. “The NCAA, man… they’ve let it go,” Charles Barkley shared. For him, the new landscape has reshaped collegiate basketball—but not in a way he supports.

His disappointment stems from the now-normalised annual transfer cycle, which, he says, gives players unchecked power. And he’s not wrong. Nearly 20% of Division I basketball players entered the transfer portal back in 2023, with many of them leveraging NIL deals as part of their moves. Two years have passed since then, and the storyline remains the same.