
USC recruit Alijah Arenas, son of Gilbert Arenas, injured in auto crash
Alijah Arenas, the Chatsworth High star and crown jewel of USC's incoming recruiting class, was involved in a serious auto accident on Thursday morning, a person familiar with the situation not authorized to discuss it publicly told The Times.
Arenas has been hospitalized and placed in a medically induced coma, according to ESPN's Shams Charania, who first reported the crash.
Advertisement
Alijah is the son of former NBA player Gilbert Arenas, who canceled plans to stream a new episode of his online show Thursday.
A top-10 recruit in the 2025 class, Alijah Arenas led Chatsworth High to the CIF Division II state championship game in March. He left Chatsworth as the all-time City Section scoring leader, with more than 3,000 points, and recently competed in the McDonald's All-American game.
Arenas was slated to play a major role as a freshman at USC after choosing the Trojans over more established basketball powers like Arizona, Kansas and Kentucky.
Chatsworth students had the day off from school Thursday in observance of Armenian Genocide Memorial Day.
Advertisement
This is a developing story. Check back soon for updates.
Get the best, most interesting and strangest stories of the day from the L.A. sports scene and beyond from our newsletter The Sports Report.
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Fox Sports
12 hours ago
- Fox Sports
2026 NBA Draft Lottery Candidates: A.J. Dybantsa Tops List; Where's Cam Boozer?
The NBA has had Victor Wembanyama and Cooper Flagg as obvious No. 1 overall draft picks in recent years. A.J. Dybantsa has been headed toward that status for 2026. The BYU signee has been a favorite to sit atop draft boards next summer and ranks as the nation's top recruit by ESPN, On3 and Rivals. Kansas signee Darryn Peterson tops the list for 247Sports to make it a more open race for No. 1. Here's an early look at next summer's potential lottery prospects: 1. A.J. Dybantsa, BYU The 6-foot-9 forward chose the Cougars over Kansas, North Carolina and Alabama. Athleticism and versatility shine through his rangy scoring skill set, notably when he attacks off the dribble and finishes at the rim. The Massachusetts native spent last year with Utah Prep and is on this summer's USA Basketball Under-19 National Team for the FIBA World Cup. 2. Darryn Peterson, Kansas The 6-foot-5 guard from Ohio offers perimeter size with the ability to play on or off the ball. He can attack off the dribble or step outside, offering the potential to overwhelm smaller guards and impact games defensively. Peterson played last season with Prolific Prep in California and was co-MVP of the McDonald's All-American game. 3. Cameron Boozer, Duke The 6-9 forward joined his twin brother, Cayden, in winning a high school national title and fourth straight Florida state title. The son of former Duke and NBA forward Carlos Boozer showed his inside-out game (22 points, 16 rebounds, six assists) to lead the U.S. past the World team in the Nike Hoop Summit. He joined Peterson as the McDonald's Game co-MVP. 4. Nate Ament, Tennessee The 6-9 forward is a McDonald's All-American and Gatorade player of the year in the state of Virginia with versatile skills. He'll improve as he adds strength to his lean frame, though he stands out with ballhandling and shooting range. 5. Caleb Wilson, North Carolina The 6-9 forward from Atlanta and McDonald's All-American offers two-way potential with his athleticism and length, including as a shot blocker. The McDonald's All-American announced his UNC commitment on TNT's "Inside The NBA" show alongside former NBA players Shaquille O'Neal, Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith. 6. Chris Cenac Jr., Houston ESPN and 247Sports rank Cenac as the nation's top center, offering rangy skills and outside shooting that made him the MVP of the NBPA Top 100 camp in summer 2024. Houston coach Kelvin Sampson has said the McDonald's All-American is "not a big man's big man... he is a basketball player who happens to be 6-10." 7. Karim Lopez, New Zealand Breakers (Australia) The versatile 6-8 wing from Mexico is part of the National Basketball League's "Next Stars" program designed to develop high-end prospects, averaging 9.6 points and 4.7 assists in his 2024-25 debut season. He turns 18 in December. 8. Jayden Quaintance, Kentucky The 6-9 forward was a top-10 recruit last year entering Arizona State, where he averaged 9.4 points, 7.9 rebounds and 2.6 blocks. He later transferred to join the Wildcats. 9. Mikel Brown Jr., Louisville The 6-3 McDonald's All-American is a big signee for Pat Kelsey entering Year 2 of his tenure with the Cardinals. He joined Dybantsa in making the U.S. U-19 team. 10. Darius Acuff Jr., Arkansas The 6-2 Acuff is the top point guard prospect for 247Sports (No. 5 overall) and ESPN (No. 7). The McDonald's All-American operates smoothly in the pick-and-roll with the ability to attack defenders off the dribble and from 3-point range. 11. Tounde Yessoufou, Baylor ESPN's ninth-ranked recruit offers a sturdy frame (roughly 6-5 and 210 pounds) and versatile athleticism while being known for his high-motor style. He had 24 points for the World team against the U.S. in the Nike Hoop Summit in April. 12. Dash Daniels, Melbourne United (Australia) Like Lopez, the younger brother of Atlanta Hawks guard Dyson Daniels will play for the NBL's "Next Stars" program. Dash is a 6-6 point guard who has been through NBA Academy Australia. 13. Isaiah Evans, Duke The 6-6 guard withdrew from this year's draft and must add strength to his 175-pound frame. But there's clear upside with his explosive scoring potential, such as hitting six first-half 3s out of nowhere against Auburn in December. 14. Labaron Philon, Alabama The 6-4 freshman point guard was a last-minute draft withdrawal. He averaged 10.6 points and 3.8 assists for an Elite Eight team that just lost first-team All-American Mark Sears from the backcourt. Others to watch: —Alijah Arenas: The son of former NBA guard Gilbert Arenas is a McDonald's All-American known for scoring and court vision, but the 6-6 guard's status is unclear as he's still working back from an April truck accident that had him placed in a medically induced coma. Arenas avoided major injury and said this week he works out daily, with the plan of soon joining USC summer workouts. — Miles Byrd: The 6-7 guard from San Diego State withdrew from the draft after averaging 12.3 points, 4.4 rebounds and 2.7 assists as a redshirt sophomore. — Ian Jackson: The 6-4 guard averaged 11.9 points while shooting 39.5% from 3-point range at North Carolina as a five-star freshman before transferring to St. John's. — Yaxel Lendeborg: The 6-9, 240-pound forward has gone from junior college to UAB and now Michigan. He withdrew from the draft after averaging 15.8 points and 11.0 rebounds in two seasons with the Blazers. — Tahaad Pettiford: The 6-1 freshman averaged 11.6 points and shot 36.6% on 3s for Auburn's Final Four team. He's set for a leading role after withdrawing from the draft. — Meleek Thomas: The 6-4 guard averaged 33.5 points per 40 minutes with Overtime Elite. He's a McDonald's All-American who signed with Arkansas. The Associated Press contributed to this report. recommended Get more from National Basketball Association Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more

Boston Globe
12 hours ago
- Boston Globe
Brockton's AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, and Cameron Boozer headline list of top lottery candidates for 2026 NBA Draft
1. AJ Dybantsa, BYU The 6-foot-9-inch forward chose the Cougars over Kansas, North Carolina, and Alabama. Athleticism and versatility shine through his rangy scoring skillset, notably when he attacks off the dribble and finishes at the rim. The Brockton native spent last year with Utah Prep and is on this summer's USA Basketball Under-19 national team for the FIBA World Cup. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Advertisement 2. Darryn Peterson, Kansas The 6-5 guard from Ohio offers perimeter size with ability to play on or off the ball. He can attack off the dribble or step outside, offering potential to overwhelm smaller guards and impact games defensively. Peterson played last season with Prolific Prep in California and was co-MVP of the McDonald's All-American game. 3. Cameron Boozer, Duke The 6-9 forward joined twin Cayden in winning a high school national title and fourth straight Florida state title. The son of former Duke and NBA forward Carlos Boozer showed his inside-out game (22 points, 16 rebounds, 6 assists) leading the US past the World team in the Nike Hoop Summit. He joined Peterson as the McDonald's game co-MVP. Advertisement 4. Nate Ament, Tennessee The 6-9 forward is a McDonald's All-American and Gatorade player of the year for Virginia with versatile skills. He'll improve as he adds strength to his lean frame, though he stands out with ballhandling and shooting range. Related : 5. Caleb Wilson, North Carolina The 6-9 forward from Atlanta and McDonald's All-American offers two-way potential with his athleticism and length, including as a shot blocker. The McDonald's All-American announced his UNC commitment on TNT's 'Inside The NBA' show alongside former NBA players Shaquille O'Neal, Charles Barkley, and Kenny Smith. 6. Chris Cenac Jr., Houston ESPN and 247Sports rank Cenac as the nation's top center, offering rangy skills and outside shooting that made him the MVP of the NBPA Top 100 camp in summer 2024. 7. Karim Lopez, New Zealand Breakers (Australia) The versatile 6-8 wing from Mexico is part of the National Basketball League's 'Next Stars' program designed to develop high-end prospects, averaging 9.6 points and 4.7 assists in his 2024-25 debut season. He turns 18 in December. 8. Jayden Quaintance, Kentucky The 6-9 forward was a top-10 recruit last year entering Arizona State, where he averaged 9.4 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 2.6 blocks. He later transferred to join the Wildcats. 9. Mikel Brown Jr., Louisville The 6-3 McDonald's All-American is big signee for Pat Kelsey entering Year 2 of his tenure with the Cardinals, ranking as the No. 1 point guard prospect for Rivals. He joined Dybantsa in making the US U-19 team. Related : 10. Darius Acuff Jr., Arkansas The 6-2 Acuff is the top point guard prospect for 247Sports (No. 5 overall) and ESPN (No. 7). The McDonald's All-American operates smoothly in the pick-and-roll with the ability to attack defenders off the dribble and from 3-point range. Advertisement 11. Tounde Yessoufou, Baylor ESPN's ninth-ranked recruit offers a sturdy frame (roughly 6-5 and 210 pounds) and versatile athleticism while being known for a high-motor style. He had 24 points for the World team against the US in the Nike Hoop Summit in April. 12. Dash Daniels, Melbourne United (Australia) Like Lopez, the younger brother of Atlanta Hawks guard Dyson Daniels is will play for the NBL's 'Next Stars' program. Dash is a 6-6 point guard who has been through NBA Academy Australia. 13. Isaiah Evans, Duke The 6-6 guard withdrew from this year's draft and must add strength to a 175-pound frame. But there's clear upside with his explosive scoring potential, such as hitting six first-half 3-pointers out of nowhere against Auburn in December. Related : 14. Labaron Philon, Alabama The 6-4 freshman point guard was a last-minute draft withdrawal. He averaged 10.6 points and 3.8 assists for an Elite Eight team that just lost Associated Press first-team All-American Mark Sears from the backcourt. Others to watch: ⋅ Alijah Arenas — The son of former NBA guard Gilbert Arenas is a McDonald's All-American known for scoring and court vision, but the 6-6 guard's status is unclear as he's still working back from an April truck accident that had him placed in a medically induced coma. Arenas avoided major injury and said this week he works out daily, with the plan of soon joining USC summer workouts. ⋅ Miles Byrd — The 6-7 guard from San Diego State withdrew from the draft after averaging 12.3 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 2.7 assists as a redshirt sophomore. ⋅ Ian Jackson — The 6-4 guard averaged 11.9 points while shooting 39.5 percent from 3-point range at North Carolina as a five-star freshman before transferring to St. John's. Advertisement ⋅ Yaxel Lendeborg — The 6-9, 240-pound forward has gone from junior college to UAB and now Michigan. He withdrew from the draft after averaging 15.8 points and 11.0 rebounds in two seasons with the Blazers. ⋅ Tahaad Pettiford — The 6-1 freshman averaged 11.6 points and shot 36.6 percent on threes for Auburn's Final Four team. He's set for a leading role after withdrawing from the draft. ⋅ Meleek Thomas — The 6-4 guard averaged 33.5 points per 40 minutes with Overtime Elite. He's a McDonald's All-American who signed with Arkansas.
Yahoo
17 hours ago
- Yahoo
Three years after USC and UCLA led mass defections, Pac-12 adds Texas State as 8th member
Three years after USC and UCLA triggered a mass exodus by bolting for the Big Ten, the Pac-12 has extended an invitation to Texas State to give the conference eight football-playing members. Texas State, currently part of the Sun Belt Conference, is expected to accept the offer Monday, according to several media outlets. The school would join the Pac-12 in July 2026. Advertisement USC and UCLA transformed the college sports landscape by leaving the Pac-12 on June 30, 2022, citing the Big Ten's $8-billion media-rights deal as the primary motivation. Ten Pac-12 teams eventually departed, leaving only Washington State and Oregon State as members. The Pac-12 contemplated folding, but instead added five state schools from the Mountain West Conference and Gonzaga, a private, non-football playing school from the West Coast Conference. When it accepts the invitation, Texas State will be the next addition. The school made its first bowl appearance in the program's 121-year history in 2023, defeating Rice in the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl. The Bobcats won the same bowl in 2024, this time against North Texas. Read more: Full coverage: USC, UCLA leaving Pac-12 to join Big Ten Advertisement Texas State will give the Pac-12 eight football-playing teams, the minimum number of members to continue as an NCAA conference. Although long in the shadow of Texas, Southern Methodist, Texas Christian, Texas A&M, Baylor and Texas Tech, Texas State is a growing university located in San Marcos, a booming suburb located on Interstate 35 about halfway between Austin and San Antonio. The Bobcats also bring a reasonably strong portfolio of non-revenue sports, having won an award as the top-performing school in the Sun Belt across all sports in three of the last four years. The Pac-12 had courted Memphis as the eighth football-playing school, but Memphis athletic director Ed Scott told the Memphis Commercial Appeal a week ago that the school was working to join a Power 4 conference — a nonofficial term for the SEC, Big Ten, Big 12 and ACC, four conferences that operate with relative autonomy. 'I know [Pac-12 commissioner Teresa Gould is] worried about finding her eighth full member," Scott said. "I'm worried about trying to get us into a Power 4 conference. That is our first goal, unequivocally. That's always been our goal.' Advertisement The Pac-12 has long lagged in media exposure, especially on television, but on Monday announced a multimedia deal with CBS as the anchor partner from 2026 to 2031. Texas State was encouraged by the TV deal, and the Pac-12 was under pressure to add the Bobcats before July 1, when their exit fee from the Sun Belt would double from $5 million to $10 million. Read more: 'It was a real blessing': Ben Howland remains grateful long after leaving UCLA Under the deal, CBS will broadcast a minimum of four football and men's basketball games per season on its main network and provide a cable and streaming presence. All Washington State and Oregon State games will be broadcast on The CW, CBS or ESPN this fall. The new deal with CBS and other media partners would begin in 2026 when Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, San Diego State, Utah State and Gonzaga join the Pac-12 along with Texas State. Texas State's move would trigger a domino effect, with the Sun Belt looking toward Conference USA for a replacement. Louisiana Tech, Western Kentucky and Middle Tennessee have been mentioned as possibilities. Advertisement The new Pac-12 is expected to be strongest in men's basketball because of the inclusion of Gonzaga and San Diego State, but the conference could be solid in football as well. Boise State made the College Football Playoff last season, one of five schools joining the Pac-12 that played in a bowl. Get the best, most interesting and strangest stories of the day from the L.A. sports scene and beyond from our newsletter The Sports Report. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.