It has been quite a year for Ailjah Arenas of USC. First, he survived a near-fatal car accident in May. Then, Arenas underwent surgery to repair a torn meniscus that sidelined him for this season. 

However, on Friday, Arenas was cleared to practice for USC, per Andy Katz of the NCAA. 

Meanwhile, the Trojans is rolling along with an 11-1 record. Their scheduled Dec. 21 game against Brown University was cancelled after the recent shooting at Brown. 

Presently, Arenas is embarking on a long-term recovery process. Arenas is the son of former NBA player Gilbert Arenas and a standout five-star player. He is a graduate of Chatsworth High School in California. Along the way, he became the CIF LA City Section's all-time leading scorer with over 3,000 points. 

Plus, Arenas won many awards, including the Cal-Hi Sports D2 Player of the Year, the LA Daily News All-Area Player of the Year, and the John R. Wooden Award for High School Player of the Year. Also, he was named a McDonald's All-American. In January, Arenas committed to USC over Arizona, Kansas, and Kentucky. 

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It was a massive moment in the early career of head coach Eric Musselman. 

Alijah Arenas is as resilient as they come.

One can only imagine what it's like to be a shadow of Alijah Arenas. Who else can say that they have endured a horrific car crash and a season-ending surgery? Not too many, let alone at the tender age of 18. 

Yet he has continued to exude perseverance after surviving all the odds. Luckily, he has his family and what looks to be a tremendous support system at USC at his side. 

Time will tell if/when Arenas will make his return to the court full-time. In the meantime, the signs of a remarkable journey towards recovery are small but monumental.