On Monday afternoon, USC freshman guard Alijah Arenas posted a photo on his Instagram story that spoke volumes. Surrounded by teammates he’s yet to play alongside, the five-star recruit shared his excitement about finally making his season debut against Northwestern on Wednesday night.
The moment marks the culmination of a nine-month odyssey that began with tragedy and tested the limits of his resilience.
Arenas has been sidelined since July with a torn meniscus suffered during practice—an injury that kept him out before the season even started. That setback, however, pales in comparison to what preceded it.
In April, Arenas survived a horrific car crash that left him hospitalized and in a coma, his future uncertain.
His recovery has been gradual and painstaking. From traveling to and from Galen Center on a scooter to eventually walking again, Arenas has been a constant presence at every basketball-related activity despite his inability to take the court.
At the team’s first open practice in September, Arenas made his rounds shaking everyone’s hand before settling in to watch from the sidelines, continuing his rehabilitation while his teammates ran drills. When USC practiced at Venice Beach later that month, he was there in the stands, supporting from a distance.
He’s attended every practice and every game, home and away, a testament to his commitment to the program and the process.
On Jan. 12, a video posted to the Gilbert Arenas Show on YouTube offered a glimpse of his progress. This footage showed Alijah being trained by his father, three-time NBA All-Star Gilbert Arenas, at Galen Center while working through mechanics, dribbling sequences and release drills.
“Mentally for him, just coming back having not really practiced with the team at all. Where does he need to knock the rust off most? Just probably defensively,” Musselman said. “I think anytime you come off an injury it’s always about you know your ability to react. I think offensively he knows what he can do, which is a lot.”
Arenas officially rejoined full practice in December and is listed as probable against the Wildcats.
His return couldn’t come at a better time for the Trojans. With junior guard Rodney Rice and senior wing Amarion Dickerson both lost to season-ending injuries, USC has struggled in Big Ten play, dropping three of its last five games. The 6-foot-6 guard represents not only a talent infusion but a glimpse of hope.
Arenas is the highest-rated recruit Musselman has landed during his two-year tenure with the program.
It’s been nearly a year since Arenas last played competitive basketball. That game ended in heartbreak: a loss in the California Division II state championship where he scored 22 points in his final high school appearance. It capped a prep career that saw him amass 3,002 points but also back-to-back defeats in state finals.
Now, after everything he’s endured, Arenas is set to write a new chapter, one that could begin tomorrow night at 8 p.m.