Alijah Arenas, son of Gilbert Arenas, pledges to USC on father’s podcast as Trojans land five-star SG

Five-star shooting guard Alijah Arenas has committed to USC, he announced Thursday. 247Sports’ No. 1-ranked shooting guard in the class of 2025 and the son of former NBA All-Star Gilbert Arenas revealed his school choice on his father’s Gil’s Arena Podcast.

During the appearance, the 6-foot-6 senior from Chatsworth (California) High School FaceTimed Trojans coach Eric Musselman and committed to him live on camera.

Prior to his commitment, Arenas visited both USC and Arizona — where the elder Arenas played — but chose to remain local for college.

“For me, (USC) felt like the best fit,” Arenas said on the podcast. “For everybody that supported me on this journey, just helped me see my path. Then going on campus and seeing how USC was, like, it made me special. I talked to the coach, and seeing what I could possibly be, it was amazing for me. I think I could really go and play for USC.”

The third player to commit to USC during the 2025 recruiting cycle, Arenas joins four-star guards Jerry Easter and Elzie Harrington in a class that now ranks No. 7 overall, according to 247Sports’ industry-generated composite team rankings.

247Sports Director of Scouting Adam Finkelstein says USC is getting a big-time offensive talent.

“Arenas is a versatile scoring threat. He doesn’t always separate with his first move, but he’s elite with his secondary moves and has a wide variety of counters in his bag. He also shoots an easy ball from long range with soft, natural touch, despite dipping his left shoulder and twisting into his release,” Finkelstein wrote in his scouting report of Arenas. “Defensively, his size, length, hands and court coverage are all assets, but his lateral quickness and ability to pressure the ball have fluctuated over the years as his body has evolved.

“The bottom line is that Arenas is a glaring talent in the midst of a late growth spurt and has significant long-term potential.”

Originally a member of the class of 2026, Arenas recently reclassified in hopes of following in his father’s footsteps to the NBA as soon as possible. Part of that process now includes playing for a coach under whom the elder Arenas flourished early in his career with the Golden State Warriors.

Though he’s an exceptionally gifted offensive player, Arenas says he’s just looking to be coachable upon his arrival at USC.

“I feel like the best and the biggest step for me is being coachable. Being willing to learn any and everything that I can.”