Alijah Arenas is out of the hospital less than a week after he was involved in a serious car crash, his family shared in a statement to ESPN on Wednesday.
“While his journey to full recovery is just beginning, his spirit remains strong, and he is surrounded by love and support,” Arenas’ family said.
The family said Arenas, a five-star basketball recruit and University of Southern California commit, will remain “under close watch” as he recuperates at home.
The crash occurred just before 5 a.m. PT on April 24, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. Arenas was driving his Tesla Cybertruck when he struck a fire hydrant and a tree on his way home from the gym.
Arenas’ family said a pair of bystanders had to break a cracked window to rescue him. He arrived at the hospital in serious condition, and doctors decided to place Arenas into an induced coma due to smoke inhalation. By the next day, Arenas was conscious and able to write notes, but remained on a ventilator, his family said.
Josiah Johnson, the co-host of Arenas’ father’s YouTube show, announced on behalf of the family Monday that Arenas was walking and talking again. Additionally, he said Arenas suffered no major injuries in the crash.
The 18-year-old Arenas is the son of three-time NBA All-Star Gilbert Arenas and reality television personality Laura Govan. 247Sports ranked him as the top high school shooting guard in the country and named him the No. 10 overall recruit in the class of 2025.
Arenas averaged 30.9 points, 7.8 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game during his time at Chatsworth High School outside Los Angeles. He scored 11 points during the McDonald’s All-American Boys Game in early April.
(Photo: Abigail Dollins / Statesman Journal / Imagn Images)
