The biggest story for the 2025 USC basketball team is Alijah Arenas's situation. He had an awful lead-up to his first season in college, dealing with a car accident in April and then tearing his meniscus in July. Despite the rough summer for Arenas, USC basketball head coach Eric Musselman clarified that Arenas was not ruled out for his freshman season yet.
Eric Musselman updated Arenas on Thursday at Big Ten Media Days in Chicago. He said the Trojans will reevaluate his status at the start of the new year to decide whether or not he can take the court this season for the USC Trojans. They need him because Arenas has a lot of talent and can help the Trojans as a difference-maker. ESPN College basketball insider Jeff Borzello posted on X more about Arenas and what Musselman said regarding his recovery.
“Eric Musselman said 5-star freshman Alijah Arenas will be reevaluated in mid-January to determine whether he will suit up for the Trojans this season after suffering a knee injury in July,” Borzello tweeted. Musselman also said, “‘He’s progressed really well … He’s so resilient, it’s insane … He’s wired differently.'”
As he recovers, Arenas has been in a knee brace. He has also been riding a scooter in rehab, including on the court at the USC practice facility. He has also used the scooter while dribbling and shooting around.
Alijah Arenas, the son of Gilbert Arenas, is a five-star recruit coming into the 2025 season. He was the top recruit for the USC Trojans in the 2025 recruiting cycle.
However, Arenas has had a rough last few months. He got in a car wreck, which resulted in him going into a medically induced coma. He spent less than a week recovering at the hospital and then spent the next few weeks recovering at home. Then, in July, he tore his meniscus, which put his entire freshman season at USC at risk.
Despite everything, it's remarkable that Arenas could still play this season. At 6-feet-6 inches and 195 pounds, he has excellent size and potential. The fact that he could come back might depend on where USC stands in the Big Ten and if they show signs of life of getting into the NCAA Tournament.
