Gilbert Arenas and Laura Govan’s son Alijah receives positive recovery update after Tesla Cybertruck crash

Five-star basketball recruit and the son of former NBA All-Star Gilbert Arenas, Alijah Arenas, is showing remarkable progress less than a week after surviving a terrifying car crash in Southern California. The 18-year-old was involved in a single-vehicle accident early Thursday morning, April 24, when the Tesla Cybertruck he was driving lost control and slammed into a fire hydrant and a tree in the Reseda area of the San Fernando Valley.

According to reports from the Los Angeles Fire Department, the crash occurred just before 5 a.m. as Alijah Arenas, son of Laura Govan, was returning home from an early workout at the gym. The impact left the front of the Cybertruck engulfed in flames, trapping the young star inside as smoke filled the cabin. Several bystanders acted quickly and managed to pull him from the burning vehicle.

"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," one eyewitness told ESPN. "We used everything we had to bend the cracked window and pull him out. The car was on fire. We just knew we had to get him out."
Alijah was rushed to a nearby hospital and placed in a medically induced coma due to smoke inhalation. Fortunately, doctors later determined he had suffered no major injuries, and he was brought out of the coma the following day.
In the latest episode of Gil's Arena, a podcast hosted by Gilbert Arenas and Josiah Johnson, an encouraging update was shared.

"Happy to announce that Alijah is doing much better,” Johnson said. “Walking, talking, progressing very well, should be released from the hospital very soon. No major injuries as a result of the car accident.”

Johnson also shared that the incident occurred purely due to a loss of control, not any involvement of substances, and that Alijah was simply coming home from the gym. USC head coach Eric Musselman posted a heartfelt message after the crash, asking fans to “keep him, his teammates and friends and the entire Arenas family in your prayers.”
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Alijah, a standout at Chatsworth High School, recently reclassified to the Class of 2025 and committed to USC in January. He led his school to the CIF Division II state title game and became the first L.A.-area high school boys’ basketball player to surpass 3,000 career points. He was also selected for the 2024 McDonald’s All-American Game, solidifying his status as one of the top prospects in the country.