Alijah Arenas is making his mark on USC, and his mom couldn’t be more proud. Laura Govan, ex-wife of former NBA star Gilbert Arenas, shared a video on her Instagram story of her son making a layup at his first USC practice session on Thursday.
“Soooooo proud of YOU papa @alijah0arenas,” Govan wrote.
Attending a practice session with the Trojans is a big step for Arenas, who was hospitalized following a car crash back in April.
Arenas was placed in a medically induced coma after the crash, during which his Tesla Cybertruck lost control and crashed into a fire hydrant. There were no drugs or alcohol involved in the single-vehicle accident.
Trojans head coach Erin Musselman and Arenas discussed the scary car crash and the aftermath in the commit’s first press conference with USC in June. Musselman reminisced on visiting Arenas in the hospital shortly after the incident.
“The day that I was in the hospital with him, he was kinda in and out, but the love that his family had and the care,” Musselman said (Timestamp: 0:08). “His perspective is really unique.
“Even before the accident, to be honest with you, when you talk to Alijah, it’s a unique thought process how he views life, how he views the game of basketball and how he views his teammates.”
Arenas talked to the media about how he was doing at that point, two months after his crash.
“I’ve been good,” Arenas said. “I’ve been really getting back into it, especially where I was from and where I am now. I feel like I’ve gotten a lot better. And then, especially seeing my teammates, it’s really motivated me a lot to push forward.”
His effortless layup at his first practice with the Trojans is a promising update, suggesting that Arenas has continued to heal and will hopefully be ready for his freshman campaign this fall.
Alijah Arenas set to be hometown hero at USC
Alijah Arenas is heading to college this fall, but he won’t be far from home. The 6’6” shooting guard will play at USC, just 35 miles from his high school.
Arenas is a California native and honed his skill set right down the road from the Trojans at Chatsworth High School in Los Angeles, California. The five-star recruit represents the area well, having become the first boys basketball player in the Los Angeles area to reach 3,000 career points.
Arenas is the No. 13-ranked player in his class according to ESPN and was one of 48 players who were selected for the McDonald’s All-American games this past spring.
The young star brings his family name and his own impressive skill to USC, where he will serve as a hometown hero.
College Sports Network has you covered with the latest news, analysis, insights, and trending stories in college football, men’s college basketball, women’s college basketball, and college baseball!
