Five-star shooting guard Alijah Arenas may have recovered quickly from a near-fatal vehicular crash earlier this year, but it seems that the USC freshman has been in another incident, and he may be missing the entirety of his first year with the Trojans. NBA insider Chris Haynes is reporting that the eldest son of NBA legend Gilbert Arenas suffered a torn meniscus and may be missing the upcoming 2025-2026 season because of it.
BREAKING: USC’s prized recruit Alijah Arenas has suffered a tear of the meniscus, putting him in jeopardy of missing the entire 2025-26 college basketball season, league sources tell me. pic.twitter.com/c4F76sVqtv
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) July 23, 2025
When he crashed his Tesla Cybertruck earlier this year, it was believed to be a vehicular error, according to his father, Gilbert Arenas. Alijah first crashed into a fire hydrant after losing control of the steering wheel before crashing into a tree. After that, the vehicle started burning up and Alijah was trapped inside and trying to break the bullet-proof glass windshield as the car filled up with smoke.
As he was desperately trying to get out, he inhaled some deadly fumes from the burning wreck. He got pulled out by some passers-by and was sent to a nearby hospital where doctors medically induced him into a coma. He has now recovered but fans talked about his earlier misfortune in the comments on the above-mentioned X post.
“Tough year for him damn,” commented one fan.
“Poor kid can’t catch a break man,” said another person.
“Damn… was really looking forward to seeing him play this year. Rough stretch for the kid.. 😔” another one said.
“Damn he cant catch a break. He was in a bad car accident a few months ago and in a medically induced coma. Wishing him the best!” said another concerned fan.
Meanwhile, others blamed this on Gilbert Arenas for some reason.
“Really feel for this young man. His wreck, his dad is a f*ckin idiot, now this,” one commenter added.
“I somehow blame Gilbert arenas negative ass for this idk why,” another person noted.
USC Head Coach Eric Musselman Comments on Alijah Arenas Injury
Alijah Arenas came into USC with a ton of hype after impressing many during his time with Chatsworth High School, a public school he led to prominence in one of the most competitive areas in high school basketball: Southern California. With his new star player’s injury, USC Trojans head coach Eric Musselman commented on the situation.
“Alijah is a tremendous worker, teammate, competitor and person,” he said. “He is understandably disappointed that he will not be able to take the court to start the season, but his health is our No. 1 priority.”
The injury requires surgery and happened just two weeks after he got cleared to play and three months after his near-death experience.
Related: ‘Same Same’: Alijah Arenas’ Mom Laura Captures Sons in Cozy Moment
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!
