Gilbert Arenas Blames Son's Car Crash On Tesla Cybertruck Malfunction

Yahoo

20-05-2025

Former NBA star Gilbert Arenas has opened up about his son Alijah Arenas's car crash in late April.
Alijah survived the accident after crashing his Tesla Cybertruck into a fire hydrant and a tree.
The teenager had to be placed in a medically induced coma and spent some days in the hospital. However, he recovered fully, much to his family's delight.
Gilbert recently appeared on the "All The Smoke" podcast and shed light on his son's Tesla Cybertruck crash last month.
The former basketballer revealed that the crash happened after the vehicle malfunctioned.
He shared, "The car malfunctioned on him. The steering wheel went limp and ran him right into a tree."
Gilbert also shared that he was relieved after his son came out of induced coma.
He said, "Once he got his personality back, which is once they took the drugs out of him, you know, our jokes came back and I'm like, 'Damn boy, you almost went extra crispy on me man."
During the conversation, Gilbert also rubbished the rumors that Alijah fell asleep while driving and revealed that he spoke to 911 for 10 minutes trying to get help after the vehicle went up in flames.
Gilbert explained that the Cybertruck's bulletproof windows were hard for Alijah to break and advised parents whose kids owned the vehicle to ensure they have a hammer inside.
He said, "I have seen that. You know when people were 'Oh, he fell asleep.' I'm looking at...he is on the phone right? He is on the phone with 9-1-1 . I'm trying to get that call. He was on the phone with them for ten minutes. So, I know he was at least in the car for ten minutes."
Gilbert continued, "If you're a parent and your teen has this car, you might want to put a hammer in that joint. Something that can break the window. Physically, he said he was trying to kick the window in, and he couldn't."
The proud dad also revealed what he told his son after returning home after his hospital discharge.
He said, "When he got home, we had flowers for him and I gave him that speech."
Gilbert continued, "I said, listen, you are a lucky one to see this. Most people don't get to see the flowers and how everybody reacts when something happens. So you get to witness what the world did when you was in an induced coma."
He also said that he told his son that the experience is supposed to make him "great,' adding that he "can't take this sh-t for granted."
Gilbert's son, Alijah, survived a terrifying car accident involving a Tesla Cybertruck.
The crash occurred early Thursday morning, April 24, in the Reseda area of the San Fernando Valley. According to the Los Angeles Fire Department, the vehicle collided with a tree and a fire hydrant just before 5 a.m. and caught fire shortly afterward.
Alijah, a rising high school basketball star, reportedly inhaled a significant amount of smoke and was placed in a medically induced coma as a precaution.
Thankfully, he did not suffer any serious physical injuries. A day after the crash, he came out of the coma, providing a much-needed sense of relief to his family, friends, and fans.
Law enforcement officials suspect the crash may have been caused by excessive speed, though no official cause was confirmed.
Nearly a week after the crash, the Arenas family shared uplifting news that Alijah had been released from the hospital.
In a statement obtained by TMZ, the family confirmed he was now resting comfortably at home and under close watch.
Although his road to full recovery has just begun, they expressed gratitude for his resilience and high spirits. The family emphasized their commitment to supporting Alijah back to full strength and requested continued privacy. They also thanked fans for the outpouring of love and prayers.
Following the accident, questions were asked about Alijah's basketball future due to his standout high school performances. However, the USC commit is fully recovered and will begin his college basketball career later this year.