Alijah Arenas, son of Gilbert Arenas and a University of Southern California men’s basketball recruit, is out of a coma following a car accident. A statement shared by the family confirmed that the 18-year-old remains intubated and hospitalized, however, aware following the Cybertruck crash. Once the teenager opened his eyes, he questioned, “Did anyone get hurt?” on a piece of paper.
A person, noted as a “brave” individual, detailed their account of the scene to the family.
“I remember hearing banging on the car window, but I couldn’t see anything because the smoke was so thick. That’s when I realized someone was inside,” the person remarked. “I tried to break the window, but it wouldn’t give. Then I saw one of the windows was cracked just enough, and we used everything we had to bend it and pull him out. The car was on fire. We just knew we had to get him out.”
The statement was shared across social media by ESPN Senior NBA Insider Shams Charania.
According to the Los Angeles Times, Alijah Arenas was involved in a car accident on Thursday morning (April 24) near the corner of Corbin Avenue and Blythe Street in Reseda, CA. His Cybertruck struck a fire hydrant and a tree before Arenas was rescued from the wreckage. A source informed the outlet that drugs and alcohol were not involved in the crash.
The Times noted Arenas as a top-10 recruit in the 2025 high school graduating class. The star athlete led Chatsworth High to the CIF Division II state championship game in March and ended his career at Chatsworth as the all-time City Section scoring leader, with more than 3,000 points, and recently competed in the McDonald’s All-American game.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with Alijah and his family following this morning’s accident. Please keep him, his teammates and friends, and the entire Arenas family in your prayers,” relayed USC coach Eric Musselman on social media.
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