Five-Star Basketball Prospect Severely Injured In Fiery Tesla Cybertruck Crash [Update]

Alijah Arenas, a five-star high school basketball player, University of South Carolina-commit and son of former NBA all-star guard Gilbert Arenas, was seriously injured while behind the wheel of his Tesla Cybertruck, according to TMZ Sports. It's not immediately clear what caused the wreck that left the truck mangled on the side of the road in a Los Angeles neighborhood.

Updated Friday, April 25, 2025, at 12:00 p.m. EST: The family of Alijah Arenas says he's now out of an induced coma and is making progress toward a recovery following the Cybertruck crash. Arenas still remains intubated and in the hospital, but he was able to show signs of progress when he opened his eyes and was able to write on a piece of paper that he remembered the smoke and asked if anyone got hurt, according to a family statement provided to ESPN reporter Shams Charania.

One of the Good Samaritans who helped rescue Arenas from the burning truck had this to say:"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. 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."

Now, Arenas will focus on his recovery at the hospital, surrounded by his family. They say they'll provide updates as more becomes available.

The 18-year-old has since been hospitalized and placed into an induced coma, according to ESPN NBA reporter Shams Charania. Initial tests show that Arenas didn't have any broken bones as a result of the crash. A Los Angeles Fire Department spokesperson tells ESPN that they responded to a call at around 4:55 a.m. that a Cybertruck had crashed into a tree or fire hydrant, and a fire was involved. Initial reports to first responders said that there was a "trapped patient" inside the truck, however, when they arrived everyone had already made it out.

A video posted by X user Corbin Williams shows a burnt-out, mangled Cybertruck on the side of the road in Los Angeles surrounded by first responders earlier today. I cannot confirm that this is the same accident, but it would be a hell of a coincidence if it wasn't.

Saw this on my way to work, looks like the Cybertruck went up on the curb through a hydrant and straight into the big tree. This is my first time seeing a Cybertruck incident. pic.twitter.com/8bPFV2oLCM

— Corbin Williams (@corbinwilliams) April 24, 2025

Arenas is currently ranked 13 among recruits for the high school class of 2025 and committed to play college ball for the USC Trojans back in January, ESPN reports. He also just this month signed a sponsorship deal with Adidas. Arenas was also set to appear on his father's podcast, called "Gil's Arena" on April 24, but the show has been canceled because of the news, according to TMZ.

We've reported on a couple of other occasions where a Cybertruck caught fire following a crash, including one that had deadly results last November as well as a crash that left a Cybertruck burning after it ran into a fire hydrant.

Many of the circumstances around the crash and the scene are still unknown at this point, so we will update this story when and if we get more information.