Gilbert Arenas' Son Alijah Reflects on April Car Crash That Led to Induced Coma

Alijah Arenas, a USC basketball recruit and the son of former NBA player Gilbert Arenas, recounted the car crash that led to him being put in an induced coma back in April while speaking with reporters on Wednesday.

Arenas said smoke began filling his Tesla Cybertruck after he crashed it into a tree and the doors weren't opening.

"I was fighting time," he told reporters.

He told reporters that his Cybertruck's keypad and steering wheel stopped responding, causing the crash, and when he awoke after the impact his digital key wasn't working and he was locked out of the Tesla app.

"I tried to open the door and the door wasn't opening," he said.

Arenas, who said the passenger dashboard had caught on fire, poured water over himself to cool off inside of the burning car and began trying to break through the Cybertruck's windows, first moving to the backseat. He was in the burning car for around 10 minutes before he finally broke through the driver's side window, and nearby onlookers helped pull him away from the vehicle to safety.

"There are amazing people in this world that are willing to help and risk their own bodies for you," he told reporters. "For me, it was like, I don't ever want to think about me ever again."

He was hospitalized for six days after the incident but avoided any major injuries.

Arenas is considered a 5-star recruit and the No. 7 overall player in the class of 2025, according to 247Sports' Composite Rankings. He is ranked as both the top shooting guard and player from the state of California.

Adam Finkelstein of 247Sports called him a "smooth scoring guard with terrific positional size and length" and a "glaring talent in the mist of a late growth spurt [who] has significant long-term potential."

He is the headliner for a USC recruiting class that ranks eighth in the nation. The class also includes 4-star shooting guard Jerry Easter and eight additions in the transfer portal.