USC basketball recruit Alijah Arenas injured in LA car crash

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Alijah Arenas, a Los Angeles high school basketball star who’s committed to playing for the University of Southern California next season, was in an accident early Thursday, the university said.

The Los Angeles Police Department said officers responded shortly before 5 a.m. to single-vehicle collision in the Reseda area of the San Fernando Valley. The LA Fire Department further said the vehicle was a Tesla Cybertruck that crashed into a tree.

An 18-year-old man was transported to the hospital in stable condition, police said. The police department did not identify the driver.

Multiple news outlets including the Los Angeles Times and ESPN said Arenas was the driver, citing unnamed sources.

USC men’s basketball coach Eric Musselman said in a statement on X: “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.”

Chatsworth High School basketball player Alijah Arenas, left, talks to his dad, former NBA player Gilbert Arenas before a CIF State Division IV championship basketball game in Sacramento, Saturday, March 9, 2024. (Keith Birmingham/The Orange County Register via AP)

Arenas is a son of former NBA player Gilbert Arenas. He attends Chatsworth High School in Los Angeles and played for them in the Division II state championships this year, making it all the way to the finals. With that game, he became the first high school boys basketball player in the Los Angeles area to reach 3,000 career points.

He was also one of 48 players selected to play in McDonald’s All-American Games in April, which showcases the best high school basketball players in the country.

Alijah’s mother, Laura Govan, posted on social media asking for prayers for her son. Gilbert Arenas canceled his online talk show scheduled for Thursday.