USC Coach Eric Musselman Engages in Heated Beach Argument Days Before Racist Allegations Lawsuit

USC men's basketball head coach Eric Musselman was involved in a heated altercation with a treasure hunter on a Manhattan Beach on Sunday, according to new video evidence.

The incident occurred around 10:30 a.m. and involved Musselman and his team being photographed near the pier when a beachgoer, identified as Gary from the YouTube channel "Gary's Metal Detecting," walked into the background of their shot. Initially, a staff member asked Gary to move, but tensions escalated when Gary stated he would not interrupt his scan. In a video recording of the exchange, Gary can be heard saying, "It's a public beach. I can be wherever I want to be. I can walk right in there if I want to."

Musselman then intervened, appearing to tell Gary, "shut the f—k up," and calling him a "f—king d—khead." When Gary responded with "No," Musselman approached him more closely and stated, "Somebody should f—king drop your ass is what should happen." The coach then walked away, and there was no further contact between the parties.

USC has declined to comment on the incident, and a text message seeking comment from Musselman did not receive a response.

This confrontation took place just one day before former USC player Chad Baker-Mazara filed a lawsuit accusing Musselman of making racist remarks. The lawsuit alleges that after a loss to Nebraska on February 28, Musselman launched into a "profanity-laced, racially-charged post-game locker room" tirade directed at Baker-Mazara. According to the suit, Musselman told Baker-Mazara to "shut the f—k up!" and "go back to the f—king Dominican Republic!" Baker-Mazara was dismissed from the team the following day.

USC, in its response to the lawsuit filed on Monday, stated that the decision to remove Baker-Mazara from the roster was based on "a number of considerations, none having to do with race." The university added that it "look[s] forward to defeating this action in court."