USC freshman guard Alijah Arenas expected to miss 6-8 months with knee injury

Just months after surviving a serious car accident, USC freshman guard Alijah Arenas has endured another setback, suffering a knee injury that will leave him sidelined for at least 6-8 months, the school announced Wednesday.

The school said the injury — a torn meniscus, according to multiple reports — requires surgery. The lengthy recovery timeline means Arenas could miss the entire 2025-26 season.

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— USC Men’s Basketball (@USC_Hoops) July 24, 2025

Reporter Chris Haynes was first to report the news.

Arenas, 18, the son of former NBA All-Star Gilbert Arenas, is one of the most highly anticipated recruits in the country. He chose USC over blue-blood programs like Kansas and Kentucky and represented the West team in the 2025 McDonald’s All-American Game.

The injury is the latest blow for Arenas, who was in a life-threatening accident on April 24. Driving a Tesla Cybertruck that crashed and caught fire, Arenas was rescued by two bystanders before flames engulfed the vehicle. Though he avoided major physical injuries, he was placed in a medically induced coma due to smoke inhalation.

Before his injury, the 6-foot-6 Arenas starred at Chatsworth High School in California, averaging 29.3 points, six rebounds and 3.3 assists across 35 games.

Arenas was set to be a centerpiece for Eric Musselman and the Trojans this season as he was a projected lottery pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.

With Arenas out for the near future, Maryland transfer Rodney Rice (13.8 PPG) will be expected to fill the void, along with Robert Morris transfer Amarion Dickerson (13.3 PPG).

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