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No. 1 College Basketball Recruit Sends Strong Message to USC's Alijah Arenas

Originally posted on Athlon Sports
By Rowan Fisher-Shotton | Last updated Apr 24, 2025 5:18 PM ET

On Thursday, the college basketball world was rocked by news out of Los Angeles that USC five-star commit Alijah Arenas, son of ex-NBA star Gilbert Arenas, was placed in a medically induced coma.

The incident occurred after his Tesla Cybertruck smashed into a tree and a fire hydrant at around 4:55 a.m., per the New York Post.

Initial scans showed no broken bones, but smoke inhalation forced doctors to sedate the 18-year-old standout guard as a precautionary protocol.

Across the country, another phenom took notice.

Tyran Strokes, the 6-foot-7 No. 1 recruit in the 2026 class, reshared the breaking news on his Instagram story with a simple yet powerful message.

"Prayers up for my Brudda and his family. Fight through twin God got you ".

Arenas reclassified from the 2026 to the 2025 class, emerging as a consensus five-star recruit and McDonald's All-American after averaging 33 points and 8.6 rebounds per game as a Chatsworth High School sophomore.

He committed to USC over powerhouse suitors Alabama, Arizona, Kansas, Kentucky, and California.

Stokes, a Louisville native now starring at Notre Dame High School in Sherman Oaks, California, has dominated at every stage.

He earned gold with Team USA at the 2023 FIBA U16 Americas Championship (10.3 pts, 4.8 reb, 3.8 ast) and drew five-star grades from On3, 247Sports and ESPN.

For USC’s program, the incident injects uncertainty into a roster already retooling under Coach Eric Musselman.

Now, teammates and rivals alike await updates on his recovery, hopeful that this young talent will overcome the crash unscathed.

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

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