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In late April, USC basketball player Alijah Arenas was involved in a serious car accident that left him in a coma.
Remarkably, he survived and put pen to paper after waking up asking “did anyone get hurt?” Now, his journey to recovery is taking a monumental step.
On Wednesday, Arenas was cleared to practice, per Ryan Kartje of the Los Angeles Times. USC basketball coach Eric Musselman gave clearance.
Arenas, the son of former NBA player Gilbert Arenas, was driving his Tesla Cybertruck into a fire hydrant and a tree in the early morning hours of April 30. Eventually, the car caught on fire.
Luckily, Arenas was rescued by nearby bystanders. Aside from suffering from smoke inhalation, which put him into a coma, Arenas didn't suffer any other serious injuries.
The cause of the accident is reported to have been excessive speeding. However, Gilbert Arenas suspected it was possibly a malfunction with the steering wheel.
Nevertheless, his son is making his way back to the court.
Before the accident, Arenas was one of the top high school basketball players. Altogether, he had achieved 3,000 career points at Chatsworth High School in Chatsworth, California.
In addition, he was a McDonald's All-American. As far as talent, Arenas is a prolific scorer who exudes versatility at both ends of the floor.
In January, he officially committed to USC.
The path to recovery for Alijah Arenas
In all likelihood, Arenas and his transition back to the court will be gradual. First and foremost, he is able to walk and talk, which is a major breakthrough after coming out of a coma.
Secondly, his family is mainly focused on his overall well-being, with basketball being secondary. Reports of him returning to practice was mentioned in late June, per Carter Bahns of CBS Sports.
Also, Arenas was in the midst of finishing up his high school coursework before he could play.
