Chad Baker-Mazara began his college basketball journey at Duquesne and San Diego State before stepping down to play at Northwest Florida State College in the 2022–23 season. From there, he worked his way back up, becoming a valuable contributor during Auburn’s Final Four run last season. Now 25 years old, Baker-Mazara has re-entered the transfer portal, prompting Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl to once again look to the lower levels of college basketball to find his replacement on the wing.
On Saturday, Pearl secured a transfer commitment from Elyjah Freeman, a standout at Division II Lincoln Memorial University. The 6-foot-8 wing brings an intriguing skill set — averaging nearly 20 points per game while showcasing his ability to shoot from deep, finish at the rim, and use his length and athleticism effectively. However, despite his potential, Freeman represents a bit of a gamble as the fourth addition to Auburn’s transfer class this offseason.
Auburn adds D2 wing Elyjah Freeman to transfer portal class
After guiding Auburn to just its second Final Four appearance in school history, Bruce Pearl faced the challenge of rebuilding an entirely new starting five. Chad Baker-Mazara was the last of those starters to depart, and several newcomers could potentially fill his role. Among them, UCF transfer Keyshawn Hall brings crafty left-handed scoring at 6-foot-8, while Kevin Overton offers streaky shooting paired with standout defense. Still, Elyjah Freeman might be the most direct replacement — though his success is far from guaranteed.
Freeman’s strong season at Division II Lincoln Memorial justified a jump to a higher level, but the leap from D2 to the SEC is steep. Last offseason, Pearl brought in JP Pegues from SoCon program Furman with plans for him to start at point guard. However, Pegues was benched following the Maui Invitational and struggled to earn playing time thereafter. The SEC proved to be an entirely different challenge — especially last season, when 14 of 16 conference teams earned NCAA Tournament bids.
While Freeman has better physical tools than the 6-foot-2, 180-pound Pegues, adjusting to SEC competition could still take time. That said, Freeman might thrive with Auburn’s superior coaching and resources. A precedent exists: Bennett Stirtz made the jump from D2 Northwest Missouri State to Drake and earned All-American honorable mention honors, and now he’s projected to be a standout at Iowa in the Big Ten.
Even within the SEC, small-school transfers have made big impacts. Dalton Knecht came to Tennessee from Northern Colorado by way of junior college and became a star. Chaz Lanier earned Second-Team All-SEC honors after transferring from North Florida. And of course, there’s Baker-Mazara himself, who arrived at Auburn after a winding path that included JUCO ball.
Freeman may require some patience as he adjusts to life in the SEC, but if things click, Pearl’s gamble could prove to be a major win.
Leave a Reply