Aliya Arenas Makes an Impressive Return

LOS ANGELES — Aliya Arenas made a stunning comeback that caught everyone’s attention.

After a knee injury that sidelined him since summer, he also faced a life-threatening incident with a Tesla Cybertruck.

He’s come back from a lot of worries and doubts about whether he’d return to play.

The son of three-time NBA All-Star Gilbert Arenas made his college debut for USC on Wednesday night, and it was only a matter of minutes before he showed why this was so significant.

Arenas pulled off a behind-the-back maneuver that left one Northwestern defender off-balance, drove to the basket, and then executed a spinning layup over another defender.

Those in attendance at the Galen Center cheered for the highly regarded five-star athlete from Chatsworth High School, who is seen by many as a possible first-round NBA draft pick. His father watched proudly from the baseline, right next to former Trojan and Lakers guard Nick Young.

It had been a while since Arenas last played for the Trojans due to his knee injury, and while he faced challenges during the game, he had some standout moments in the 74-68 loss.

Arenas, noted for being one of the top players since USC coach Eric Musselman took charge, contributed eight points, two rebounds, and two assists in 29 minutes, despite struggling with his shot.

The 6-foot-6 guard managed to hit only 3 of 15 shots and missed all six attempts from beyond the arc.

“This outcome isn’t surprising to me,” Musselman noted, acknowledging how tough it can be to come back after such a long layoff. “He can create his own shot, and considering he’s still technically a senior in high school, being thrust into Big Ten play is no small feat for any talented player.”

After missing his first three attempts, Arenas finally scored with a smooth baseline jumper. He combined his natural agility with a determination to draw fouls, frequently challenging defenders.

“He definitely made some impressive moves,” remarked Wildcats coach Chris Collins after the game, commenting on his player’s notable performance, particularly highlighting the memorable layup.

Arenas had announced his comeback via an Instagram post, earning a spot in the starting lineup. He was the last player introduced before the game, entering amid rising smoke to the cheers of the crowd.

Just being able to play again felt like a victory in light of recent events.

Arenas had a harrowing escape last April after his Cybertruck caught fire and crashed. He was trapped inside as smoke poured in. When the door wouldn’t open through an app, he panicked and tried to get to the backseat, only to face further challenges. Pouring water over himself for relief, he spent about 10 minutes trapped before finally breaking the driver’s side window with his foot. He was pulled free, landing face down in water from a broken fire hydrant before being rescued.

Remarkably, he left the hospital after six days with no major injuries, despite having spent time in a medically induced coma because of smoke inhalation.

His official return happened on Wednesday, and many anticipate great things from him moving forward.

“He’ll only improve with more court time,” Collins said. “Because of his ball-handling skills and size, he’s a difficult matchup. He’ll continue to grow as a player.”