Arenas out of coma day after crash, family says

USC recruit Alijah Arenas is out of an induced coma a day after he was involved in a crash in the Los Angeles area, according to a family statement given to ESPN on Friday.

Arenas was involved in a single-vehicle crash in the Reseda area of the San Fernando Valley shortly before 5 a.m. Thursday morning, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. The L.A. Fire Department said the vehicle was a Tesla Cybertruck that crashed into a tree/fire hydrant with fire involved and that the driver had been transported to the hospital in serious condition.

Arenas, 18, remains intubated, according to his family, but has "shown significant signs of progress within the last 24 hours." The family said he remembered the smoke from the crash and wrote to ask, "Did anyone get hurt?"

The Los Angeles Police Department said Thursday that Arenas was in stable condition.

Video obtained by TMZ shows the front of Arenas' vehicle on fire after the crash, with two people attempting to help remove him from the truck while water sprays from the damaged fire hydrant.

The family statement includes a quote from a bystander who helped remove Arenas from the burning truck.

"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. "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."

No cause for the crash had been released as of Friday.

Arenas is a son of former NBA star Gilbert Arenas. He is the No. 13-ranked recruit in the class of 2025 after reclassifying in December and committing to the Trojans in January. The five-star prospect attends Chatsworth High School in Los Angeles, helping lead the team to the final of the Division II state championships this year. With that game, Arenas became the first high school boys' basketball player in the Los Angeles area to reach 3,000 career points.

He was also one of 48 players selected to play in the McDonald's All American boys' game in April, which showcases the best high school basketball players in the country.

The family expressed its gratitude to those who have helped Arenas and said further updates would be shared "as Alijah continues to heal."

"This act of courage, along with Alijah's incredible will to survive, has been nothing short of miraculous," the family said. "The family continues to ask for the public's prayers and support as their miracle baby fights his way back to a full recovery. They remain deeply grateful for the exceptional care provided by his medical team and the overwhelming love and encouragement from the community."

USC men's basketball coach Eric Musselman addressed Arenas' crash in a statement on X on Thursday, writing: "Our thoughts and prayers are with Alijah and his family following this morning's accident. Please keep him, his teammates and friends, and the entire Arenas family in your prayers."

Information from ESPN's Shams Charania and Paolo Uggetti and The Associated Press was used in this report.