Alijah Arenas, an 18-year-old standout basketball recruit committed to the University of Southern California (USC), has been placed in a medically induced coma following a serious car accident, according to a report Thursday from ESPN’s Shams Charania.
Arenas, widely regarded as one of the top prospects in the 2025 college basketball recruiting class, had originally been part of the class of 2026 before reclassifying.
He committed to USC on January 30, turning down offers from top programs including Arizona, Kansas, Kentucky, and Louisville.
Earlier this year, Arenas was selected to play in the prestigious McDonald’s All-American Game, where he scored 11 points. He played high school basketball at Chatsworth High School in Los Angeles but hails from Oakland, California.
Five-star prospect and USC commit Alijah Arenas was involved in a serious car crash early Thursday morning, hospitalized and placed into an induced coma, sources tell ESPN. Arenas, 18, is the son of former NBA star Gilbert Arenas.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 24, 2025
Arenas is the son of Gilbert Arenas, a former NBA All-Star who played for four teams, most notably the Washington Wizards, where he earned three All-Star selections during the 2000s.
Details regarding Alijah Arenas’ condition and the circumstances surrounding the accident have not yet been publicly released.
Key details about Alijah
How many baby moms does Gilbert Arenas have?
The three-time NBA All-Star and host of the podcast Gil’s Arena shares four kids with his ex-Laura Govan: Izela, Alijah, Hamiley and Aloni. Gilbert also shares a daughter Gia with his ex-girlfriend Lindsey Faulk.
Is Alijah Arenas committed?
5-star guard Alijah Arenas is committed to USC over Arizona.
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