Alijah Arenas, son of former NBA star Gilbert Arenas and a top basketball recruit for USC, has been hospitalized after being involved in a serious Cybertruck crash early Thursday morning. The crash occurred in the Winnetka area of Los Angeles' San Fernando Valley, where the Tesla Cybertruck, registered to Gilbert Arenas, collided with a tree and possibly a hydrant around 5:00 a.m., as NBC Los Angeles reports.
According to AP News, multiple outlets have confirmed Arenas was the driver, citing unnamed sources. Despite the initial assessment from the Los Angeles Police Department suggesting the 18-year-old was transported to the hospital in stable condition, ESPN's Shams Charania reported that Alijah was placed in a medically induced coma, without broken bones per initial tests. FOX 11 added that the official with the Los Angeles Police Department confirmed the crash details, noting that the vehicle had hit a fire hydrant and a tree.
Alijah Arenas is notably one of the country's premier high school basketball prospects, acclaimed for leading Chatsworth High School to the CIF Division II championship game and becoming one of a select group of California players to score over 3,000 points in their high school careers, as highlighted by NBC Los Angeles. USC men’s basketball coach Eric Musselman reflected the community's concern, stating, "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."
The accident not only has personal ramifications for the Arenas family, but it has also resonated through various communities connected to them. Underdog Fantasy, where Gilbert Arenas' "Gil's Arena" podcast is hosted, released a statement expressing their solidarity, saying, "Our hearts are with our friend and Underdog partner Gilbert Arenas in this difficult moment," according to a tweet captured by CBS News Los Angeles. Alijah's mother, Laura Govan, known from "Basketball Wives," made a personal plea on Instagram, asking for prayers for her son.
