Gilbert Arenas' Update On Son, USC Trojans Recruit Alijah Arenas: 'UCLA Saved His Life'

This past April, Alijah Arenas was involved in a scary car accident that resulted in him being placed in a coma due to the amount of smoke he inhaled. He is still recovering, but is able to walk and talk again and expected to make a full recovery. Gilbert Arenas was asked by Dan Katz, a.k.a. “Big Cat” about how Alijah is doing. 

“He’s doing a lot better. It was a scary moment. Teenage kids when they get these cars, you kinda get worried about them sometimes,” Gilbert Arenas said. “He said the car computer just malfunctioned and ran him right into a fire hydrant and tree…He’s going to USC next year, and UCLA saved his life. So that’s going to be interesting right?”

Alijah Arenas’s Recruitment To USC Trojans, Coach Eric Musselman

Gilbert Arenas played basketball for the University of Arizona and many thought that his son Alijah would follow in his footsteps, but Alijah opted to stay close to home. 

“He just wanted to stay home. (Eric) Musselman, who coached me, called him every single day. I didn’t even know he was talking to him at two-three in the morning about basketball, working out,” Gilbert Arenas said. “Musselman had a hand up on everybody because he actually called him every day.”

Gilbert Arenas played under Eric Musselman during the 2002-2003 NBA season when Musselman was the coach of the Golden State Warriors. Now, his son will be coached by him as well. 

Arenas was also asked by the Pardon My Take crew about if he had any advice for his son when it comes to playing cards as an NBA rookie with other NBA players.

“Don’t be an antagonizer. Realize that losing money is more important than how much they’re losing…Win money like a real winner. Don’t brag, and if you do, hold a taser,” Gilbert Arenas said jokingly.

USC Trojans 2025 Recruiting, Transfer Class

Eric Musselman is heading into his second season with the USC Trojans. This 2025 recruiting class consists of the five-star Arenas and four-star guard Jerry Easter. USC also boasts a loaded 2025 transfer class headlined by four-star transfers; small forward Chad Baker-Mazara, guard Rodney Rice, power forward Ezra Ausar, center Gabe Dynes, and forward Jacob Cofie.

USC will look to bounce back from two straight seasons in which they finished with a record below .500 and missed the NCAA Tournament.