Alijah Arenas Suffering Season-Ending Injury Months After Life-Threatening Car Crash Stuns Fans: “Kid Can’t Catch a Break”

Former NBA star Gilbert Arenas' son, Alijah Arenas, was the top ranked recruit for the University of Southern California this year.

Alijah Arenas Suffering Season-Ending Injury Months After Life-Threatening Car Crash Stuns Fans: “Kid Can’t Catch a Break”

Alijah Arenas to miss his freshman season with USC (Image via FirstSportz)

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Bronny James was the start of a new wave of sons of NBA stars who were labelled as elite college prospects. Next in line is Alijah Arenas, son of 3-time All-Star Gilbert Arenas, who was the 13th best recruit in the class of 2025.

The 6′ 6″ guard received plenty of offers from top programs, but eventually chose USC to stay close to his family. This upcoming season, he will be battling some of the better prospects to have come through men’s basketball ranks over the past few years.

Since he is in the offseason, the 18-year-old was expected to start preparing for his college debut. The first obstacle that threatened to derail his goals was when he crashed his Tesla Cybertruck exactly 3 months ago.

He was trapped inside the blazing electric vehicle. He suffered burns and had to be placed in an induced coma. Luckily, he recovered well and was discharged. Gilbert Arenas and his family thanked the Good Samaritans who helped their son.

In no time, he was back at USC preparing for the upcoming season and a chance to earn a call-up to the NBA Draft next year. However, Alijah Arenas will not suit up next season.

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.

Chris Haynes revealed on X

The Insider later added to this story by confirming that the USC star will be sidelined for at least 6–8 months. That seemingly ends his chances at playing this season, as he would prefer to recover completely.

Fans in shock as Alijah Arenas suffers misfortune after misfortune

Cooper Flagg was the first of this new generation of elite prospects to come through college. This upcoming season, most of the focus was on AJ Dybansta. But Alijah Arenas, along with the Boozer twins, brought excitement as they would join Bronny James as the offspring of former NBA stars.

There was hope that Arenas would be able to take the next step under the guidance of USC’s coaching staff. However, these two mishaps have cast a cloud over his future.

The 18-year-old will have to try next season. But the upcoming season would have been the best test for the 6′ 6″ guard. Fans hope this does not deter him from his goal and hope he makes everything right next season. Check out examples of those reactions below.

Fans hope this is a blessing in disguise for Alijah Arenas. The 18-year-old can use the time to learn more about the game, watch his teammates play, and learn how to scout opponents. All of this can help him when he suits up next season.

Alijah Arenas’ Cybertruck crash rattled the basketball world

A meniscus tear is a common injury, especially among basketball players. Since Alijah Arenas is just 18, it is difficult for fans of the sport to accept it. However, it is still nothing compared to the shock the basketball world faced when he crashed his Cybertruck.

Alijah Arenas' crashed Tesla Cybertruck
Alijah Arenas’ crashed Tesla Cybertruck (Image via Ryan Cartje/X)

Again, many young players have crashed their vehicles. Some have walked away with a misdemeanor, whereas others, such as Michael Porter Jr.‘s brother, Coban, who was sentenced to 8 years in prison for killing a woman in a car he crashed into.

Alijah Arenas was neither speeding nor was he drunk, as Coban Porter was. Instead, his Tesla Cybertruck burst into flames after crashing into a fire hydrant. The vehicle’s security features stopped him from escaping the vehicle, and that led to him being placed in induced coma.

All of this was too much for the basketball world to take, as such an incident can slam the brakes on one’s life goals. Thankfully, he recovered, and once he completes his second recovery from this meniscus tear, his 3-time All-Star father should be able to guide him back on his journey.

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