Former NBA player Gilbert Arenas, father of Alijah Arenas. Howard Smith-Imagn Images

USC five-star hoops commit Alijah Arenas reportedly in coma after serious car accident

By Andrew Kulha | Last updated Apr 24, 2025 3:12 PM ET

There's terrible news being reported regarding Alijah Arenas, a five-star shooting guard recruit out of Chatsworth, Calif.

He's the son of former NBA superstar Gilbert Arenas and arguably USC basketball's top prospect. Arenas has been committed to the Trojans since Jan. 30.

Unfortunately, Shams Charania of ESPN is reporting that the younger Arenas was involved in a serious car accident on Thursday morning. Just 18 years old, Arenas has been hospitalized after the accident, and he's been placed into an induced coma, per Charania.

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

A McDonald's All-American, Arenas committed to the Trojans over Kentucky, Kansas, Arizona and Louisville.

According to the 247Sports Composite, he's the No. 1-ranked shooting guard in the 2025 class and the No. 7 overall player in the country. His father, Gilbert, played 12 years in the NBA and was a three-time All-Star.

He's simply a big-time recruit with big-time potential at the college level and even beyond as it relates to the NBA. This is bigger than basketball right now, though.

The hope is that he'll be able to make a full recovery from this tragic event.

Andrew Kulha

Andrew Kulha is probably the only sports writer you know who also doubles as a mortician. Spooky! @KulhaSports

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