A likely key piece of next year’s Auburn lineup confirmed he isn’t going anywhere as wing Chad Baker-Mazara affirmed he will return to Auburn next season with a video posted on Auburn’s X — formerly known as Twitter — account.

“Mi trabajo aquí no ha terminado,” Baker-Mazara said in Spanish. “Bienvenidos a mi regreso. War Eagle.”

Roughly, that translates into English to: “My work is not done. Welcome to my return. War Eagle.”

Baker-Mazara, a Dominican Republic native, averaged 10 points per game this year in his first and only season with the Tigers. By the end of the year, he had become one of Auburn’s usual starters.

But his season ended in controversial fashion as he was ejected in the first four minutes of Auburn’s eventual loss to No. 13 seed Yale in the first round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament. Baker-Mazara was called for a Flagrant 2 foul when he intentionally elbowed Yale’s August Mahoney.

Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl has questioned whether the play should have been ruled a Flagrant 1 or Flagrant 2 foul. A Flagrant 2 warrants automatic ejection while a Flagrant 1 does not. Pearl was upset with the call, but also understood why it was made. He said he did think the foul was intentional, and that Baker-Mazara has apologized several times.

And Pearl defended Baker-Mazara against significant online backlash.

“I’m just going to tell the Auburn family, while I know you’re disappointed, if somebody was messing with your son, you’d stand up for your son a little bit, wouldn’t you? Stop messing with my son,” Pearl said. “Stop it. He apologized. He made a mistake. And I’m calling you out. I’m not having it.”

There was never any real speculation that Baker-Mazara would leave Auburn. He came to Auburn last summer from Northwest Florida Community College. He has also previously played at San Diego State and Duquesne but had several off-court issues.

The 2023-24 season was a breakout year for Baker-Mazara. He will be a crucial part of Auburn’s offense next season.

So far, Auburn has lost Jaylin Williams and Lior Berman from last year’s team as they ran out of eligibility as well as guards KD Johnson and Tre Donaldson who both entered the transfer portal.

Donaldson’s transfer portal decision was announced just a few hours before Baker-Mazara’s return post.

Auburn is still waiting on a crucial decision from star center Johni Broome who weighs another year in college against taking his chance at the NBA.

Matt Cohen covers Auburn sports for AL.com. You can follow him on X at @Matt_Cohen_ or email him at [email protected]