USC basketball is in the midst of a middling 12-8 season, with their 4-5 conference record putting them in the middle of the Big Ten. However, as USC looks towards their future, they're amped up knowing the type of talent they have coming to campus.
On Thursday, Alijah Arenas committed to the Trojans. With his father being Gilbert Arenas, the newest member of USC basketball made his announcement on his dad's podcast. He facetimed head coach Eric Musselman directly to let him know of his decision. In turn, Musselman and those who heard the news started going wild.
Alijah Arenas surprises everyone by FaceTiming USC basketball coach Eric Musselman to announce his commitment to the USC Trojans 🔥🎊
(via @GilsArenaShow)pic.twitter.com/A9HB9qphtV
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) January 30, 2025
A five-star guard, Arenas ranks as the 10th best prospect in the 2025 recruiting class, via 247Sports. Alongside USC, he had offers from plenty of top schools such as Kansas, Kentucky and Alabama. However, in the end, the Trojans came out victorious.
His commitment moved USC basketball up to No. 7 in the team recruiting rankings for 2025. He is joined by a pair of top four star prospects in Jerry Easter and Elzie Harrington. Overall, Musselman is continuing to build out his roster as the Trojans make their full transition to the Big Ten.
Alijah Arenas will now be the team's crown jewel for the 2025 recruiting class. He will need to add on some pounds to shine on the college level, but his 6-foot-6 frame gives him a solid foundation. So does his ability to score and work on the defensive side of the ball. And for all the skills Arenas has now, he will only get stronger once in a college program.
One he steps on the court, Arenas is sure to draw comparisons to his dad. Gilbert was named Pac-12 Freshman of the Year at Arizona before his successful NBA tenure. But matching his dad's career arc is a challenge the younger Arenas welcomes though and one he's looking to prove he can conquer.
Eric Musselman will now be the coach to help mold Arenas into that player. And he couldn't be happier.