Alijah Arenas, Son of Former NBA Player Gilbert Arenas, in a Coma Following a Car Accident
Alijah Arenas's mother is asking for prayers for her son.
Published April 25 2025, 10:11 a.m. ET
Big things were in the works for Alijah Arenas, the 5-star high school basketball recruit from Chatsworth High in Los Angeles, Calif. In December 2024, he was reclassified from the class of 2026 to 2025, which means he was bumped up from junior to senior status. Alijah turned 18 in March 2025, and at that point, he already had 17 offers from schools like Alabama, Arizona, Kansas, Texas, UCLA, Arizona State, Cal, and Xavier, per Sports Illustrated.
Alijah spoke with the outlet about what he was looking for in a college. Essentially he wants a program that motivates its players to win. "If I find that, I enjoy that and really love that, then I'll want to hop on board and see if we can win," he said. He later committed to USC. Sadly his plans were derailed a few months later after Alijah got into a car accident that resulted in a medically induced coma. Here's what we know.
Alijah Arenas was in a tragic car accident.
According to the Los Angeles Times, the incident occurred at 4:56 a.m. on April 24, 2025. The 18-year-old was driving his Tesla Cybertruck when he lost control of the vehicle, struck a fire hydrant, and a tree. He was immediately transported to a hospital. A source told The Times that drugs and alcohol were not involved in the crash.
In a video obtained by TMZ, the Cybertruck is seen engulfed in flames while water from the fire hydrant is shooting into the air. Two good Samaritans pulled Alijah from the vehicle. He then lay down in a puddle while firefighters arrived at the scene. He was listed in stable condition, though he was placed in a medically induced coma. After the Cybertruck was towed away, it reportedly burst into flames at the tow yard.
Who are Alijah Arenas's parents? His father played for the NBA.
Alijah is the son of Gilbert Arenas, who spent 11 years in the NBA, seven of which were with the Washington Wizards. Gilbert shares five kids with his ex, Laura Govan, and has already passed a love of basketball onto four of his children, per People. Following Alijah's accident, Laura took to Instagram, where she posted a graphic asking for prayers.
Gilbert has often spoken about how close he and Alijah are. In a joint interview for The Arenas Legacy: Aijah Arenas Rise to The Top With Gilbert Arenas' Mindset, Gilbert said he had to learn not to push his son, or his other children, because they are "not robots." He also learned how to be more patient and understands that everyone has feelings and are entitled to them.