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Five-Star Recruit Leaves Hospital After Concerning Accident

Originally posted on Athlon Sports
By Rowan Fisher-Shotton | Last updated Apr 30, 2025 12:34 PM ET

Wednesday brought some relief for USC basketball fans.

On April 24, five-star commit Alijah Arenas survived a single-vehicle Tesla Cybertruck accident that saw his vehicle catch fire after striking a tree and a fire hydrant.

The fiery early-morning crash took place near his San Fernando Valley home and left the 18-year-old shooting guard hospitalized in an induced coma.

Now, the 18-year-old shooting guard who averaged 33 points and 8.6 rebounds as a sophomore at Chatsworth High has been released from the hospital and “is resting comfortably under close watch,” his family announced today via ESPN’s Shams Charania.

Five-star USC commit Alijah Arenas has been released from the hospital one week after his serious car crash in the Los Angeles area. Statement from the family: pic.twitter.com/5JhCQSaz8c
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 30, 2025

After the incident, Arenas, son of three-time NBA All-Star Gilbert Arenas, was pulled free by bystanders and transported in serious condition to a local hospital.

Once there, precautionary measures were taken, including a medically induced coma to treat smoke inhalation. Within 24 hours, he was out of the coma.

Arenas, a 2025 McDonald's All-American, recently reclassified from the class of 2026 to 2025. He committed to USC in January, capping recruitment battles with Arizona, Kansas, Kentucky and Alabama, among others.

He is currently the No. 10 overall recruit in the nation, per 247Sports.

USC’s 2024-25 campaign under Eric Musselman ended 17-18 (7-13 in the Big Ten).

Previously, Musselman served as the head coach at Arkansas, leading the Razorbacks to two consecutive Elite Eight appearances in 2020-21 and 2021-22.

Now at USC, he hopes to build off his first season with the Trojans with the help of incoming four-star transfers Chad Baker-Mazara, Rodney Rice, and, hopefully, five-star recruit Arenas.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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