Will Alijah Arenas Play for USC This Season? HC Eric Musselman Gives Injury Update

USC men's basketball head coach Eric Musselman does not expect Alijah Arenas to miss the entirety of the 2025-26 campaign despite undergoing potentially season-ending surgery on a knee injury in July.

Musselman told reporters in a Thursday Zoom call he is planning to see the true freshman and star recruit in a game by mid-January.

"There's still a lot that's got to happen," Musselman said Friday about Arenas' recovery. "He's still got to practice. But right now, everything is exactly where it needs to be. His healing process, his rehab process has gone great."

Arenas, the son of three-time NBA All-Star Gilbert Arenas, has dealt with multiple health issues since he first announced his commitment to USC last January.

He was involved in a car crash in April that led to him being placed in an induced coma due to smoke inhalation, per ESPN.

Arenas then suffered a torn meniscus in July. The Trojans initially announced the injury would necessitate surgery and sideline him for six to eight months.

A January return would put Arenas on the shorter side of that recovery timeline. Eight months of recovery would see him sitting out until March.

Arenas was listed as the No. 10 overall prospect and top shooting guard in the nation by 247Sports composite rankings at the time of his commitment to USC.

USC is off to an 8-0 start to the 2025-26 season with transfers Chad Baker-Mazara and Rodney Rice starting in the backcourt. Given Musselman's timeline, the Trojans could be hoping to get Arenas in the rotation in time for a potential March Madness run this spring.