Top basketball recruit, son of former NBA star Gilbert Arenas out of coma following car accident
Alijah Arenas, a top high school basketball prospect and teenage son of former NBA star Gilbert Arenas, emerged from a coma and has shown "significant signs of progress" in the wake of a serious car crash in Los Angeles, his family said Friday.
The USC commit was hospitalized after his Tesla Cybertruck slammed into a tree and fire hydrant a little before 5 a.m. Thursday, a law enforcement source said.
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'In a remarkable and hopeful development, Alijah Arenas has come out of his coma and has shown significant signs of progress within the last 24 hours,' according to a family statement. 'In a powerful and emotional moment, Alijah opened his eyes and was able to write on a piece of paper that he remembered the smoke and asked, 'Did anyone get hurt?'"
Arenas' loved ones thanked an unnamed person who they said came to the teenager's rescue as the Tesla Cybertruck was burning.
'I remember hearing banging on the car window, but I couldn't see anything because the smoke was so thick. That's when I realized someone was inside,' the person said, according to the Arenas family statement. 'I tried to break the window, but it wouldn't give. Then I saw one of the windows was cracked just enough and we used everything we had to bend it and pull him out. The car was on fire. We just knew we had to get him out.'
The 18-year-old Arenas led Chatsworth High School to the final of the L.A. City Section Open Division tournament.
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He's ranked as the No. 13 high school basketball recruit in the 2025 class by ESPN.
Gilbert Arenas, 43, spent 11 seasons in the NBA and played in three NBA All-Star Games representing the Washington Wizards.
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
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