USC commit Alijah Arenas ‘walking, talking, progressing very well’ after crash, coma

Alijah Arenas continues to recover from a serious car crash Thursday that temporarily left him in a medically induced coma.

Arenas, a five-star recruit committed to the University of Southern California, is the son of three-time NBA All-Star Gilbert Arenas and reality television personality Laura Govan.

While Gilbert Arenas was not present for the latest episode of his YouTube talk show “Gil’s Arena” on Monday, the show’s first since the incident, Josiah Johnson, the show’s co-host and executive producer, shared an update on Alijah’s condition after speaking with his father.

“Happy to announce that Alijah’s doing much better,” Johnson said. “Walking, talking, progressing very well, should be released from the hospital very soon. No major injuries as a result of the car accident.”

According to the Los Angeles Fire Department, Arenas, 18, was driving his Tesla Cybertruck when he hit a fire hydrant and a tree just before 5 a.m. PT on Thursday. The vehicle caught fire after the collision, and bystanders had to pull Arenas from the car because he was trapped inside.

First responders took Arenas to the hospital in serious condition and placed him into a medically induced coma, a step Johnson said was a “precautionary measure due to smoke inhalation.”

The Arenas family announced Friday morning that Alijah was conscious again, though on a ventilator, and able to communicate by writing notes. No one else was injured in the crash, according to police.

Johnson said Arenas was driving home from an early morning workout when he lost control of the Cybertruck. He did not give any other details on what led to the crash.

A 6-foot-6, 195-pound shooting guard from Chatsworth High School outside Los Angeles, Arenas is the No. 10 overall recruit in the class of 2025, according to 247Sports. The outlet ranks him as the country’s top player at his position.

Arenas averaged 30.9 points, 7.8 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game in high school and committed to USC in January. He played for the West in the 2025 McDonald’s All-American Boys Game, scoring 11 points in the 105-92 win in early April.

“Please keep him, his teammates and friends and the entire Arenas family in your prayers,” USC coach Eric Musselman said following the crash.

(Photo: Abigail Dollins / Statesman Journal / Imagn Images)