The basketball world got a positive update on USC commit Alijah Arenas on Friday morning.
“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,” read a statement shared by the Arenas family.
Arenas had been placed in a medically induced coma after a serious car crash on Thursday.
“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?’” the statement continued.
While Arenas is still intubated, the statement said that his progress “marks a critical step forward in his recovery.”
Update: Alijah Arenas is now out of his induced coma and making progress in recovery while being intubated following a car crash Thursday.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 25, 2025
Statement from the family: pic.twitter.com/SgzHbrPJ3c
Arenas, son of former NBA player Gilbert Arenas, was a McDonald's All-American this season after leading Chatsworth High School to a California state championship, and is the top recruit of the USC Trojans 2025 incoming class.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Alijah Arenas Out of Medically Induced Coma Following Car Crash.