Alijah Arenas, a five-star USC commit and son of former Washington Wizards star Gilbert Arenas, was reportedly placed in a medically-induced coma after a car crash early Thursday, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.
Alijah, a 6-foot-6 guard from Chatsworth High School in Calif., is considered one of the best prospects of the class of 2025. He considered offers from a number of schools, including Kansas and Kentucky, before committing to USC in January.
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His excellent high-school performance earned Alijah a spot in the McDonald’s All-American Game in April. Alijah scored 11 points for the West, helping lead the team to a 105-92 victory over the East. Gilbert was in the stands for the contest, watching Alijah show off his skills.
Gilbert spent 11 seasons in the NBA, most of which came with the Wizards. After being drafted by the Golden State Warriors in the second round of the 2001 NBA Draft, Gilbert turned in a modest rookie season before winning the NBA’s Most Improved Player award during his second year in the league.
He joined the Wizards as a free agent and saw his career take off. Gilbert averaged 25 points and 5.7 assists in eight years in Washington. He was a three-time All-Star and finished eighth in the MVP voting after the 2006-07 season.
Following his NBA career, Gilbert has hosted YouTube shows and podcasts. He started the Gil’s Arena podcast with Underdog Fantasy Sports in 2023. Thursday’s taping of the show was cancelled. No reason was given for the decision.
This story will be updated.
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