No parent should ever get that call. On a quiet April morning, Gilbert Arenas’ world stopped. His son, Alijah Arenas, a rising basketball star, had crashed his Cybertruck in Reseda. Trapped in flames for 12 agonizing minutes, with smoke filling his lungs, sent everyone to pour him with prayers. The miracle was that there were no broken bones. He woke up from it, scribbling. His first thought? “Did anyone get hurt?” In less than a week, the USC commit was home, and his spirit is unbroken. Those bystanders who pulled him from the wreck are being called angels in disguise. The family also extends their thanks to the medical team and the community for their support during this challenging time. And now, the humble father had something to share.

The Arenas family will never be able to forget this harrowing reminder of how quickly life can change. And they never shy away from admitting it publicly. And in one such display of gratefulness, Gilbert Arenas shared an incident. Fathers all over the world can resonate with it. On All The Smoke podcast with Matt Barnes, Gilbert Arenas opened up about something Alijah Arenas wrote after waking up.

He shared, “Right, one thing that he did write that kind of, like, made me tear up, was when he got conscious, um, and you know, he got to write, and he wrote. ‘Does my dad know?’” That single question, scrawled by a kid who just survived a fiery wreck, hit the father really hard. He continued, “Right? They’re like, ‘Damn.’ You know what I mean?” Gil clearly expressed a father’s mixed set of emotions after experiencing such a thing. And then, someone immediately informed Gilbert. “So you know, and then when… they were like, ‘He’s up, he’s looking for you,'” Gilbert continued. Reason?

“Cuz I was at home, and then, He was like, ‘Where’s my dad?'” When Gilbert finally walked in, Alijah’s face told the whole story. “And then when I came in, he gave me that I’m sorry look,” Gilbert said, feeling proud and sad at the same time. His response to it was in pure dad mode: “‘You good, don’t worry about it.'” Then, with a mix of relief and gratefulness, he added, “it’s… you-you-you… you a lucky one.” Emphasizing the second chance that life had given. However, this wasn’t the only exchange between the father-son duo. There were light-hearted moments too.

Gilbert Arenas shared, “Once he got his personality back, which is once they took the drugs out of him, right? Our jokes came back,” Gilbert chuckled. It was that moment when familiar humor returns after a crisis, often feels like the first real breath of normalcy. The NBA legend couldn’t resist teasing his son about the terrifying incident. He delivered a line only a dad could get away with: “And like, man, boy, you almost went extra crispy on me, man. Right? He almost went extra crispy, dog.” The jarring yet perfect “extra crispy” joke reveals everything about their relationship. It’s the kind of dark comedy that only works when both parties know without doubt how much they’re loved.

The Arenas’ big dreams come close to reality

Alijah Arenas just inked a major Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) representation deal with Klutch Sports Group. It’s the agency founded by Rich Paul and closely associated with LeBron James. You just know that Gilbert Arenas is grinning somewhere. The five-star USC commit joins LeBron’s powerhouse agency, putting him alongside NBA elites like Anthony Davis and Draymond Green, as well as NFL players such as Jalen Hurts and DeVonta Smith. For Gilbert’s kid? This isn’t just a contract, it’s a golden ticket to the big stage.

This partnership was announced on May 13, 2025, as Alijah prepares to join the USC Trojans under head coach Eric Musselman. Just weeks after surviving that terrifying car crash, Alijah’s already making power moves, and Gilbert Arenas couldn’t be prouder. Signing with Klutch proves the kid’s resilience. While some joke about Gilbert’s “LeBron fanboy” era paying off, we think that this is all Alijah. USC’s Musselman gets a star, and Klutch gets a future face of the game.

Let’s be real: Gilbert Arenas built a rep for unfiltered takes, but now his son’s writing checks with Rich Paul. The irony is that Gilbert once clowned superteams. Now his bloodline’s repping the ultimate sports empire. With Klutch backing him, Alijah’s USC debut just got juicier. Gilbert Arenas might’ve dropped buckets in his day, but his son’s playing the long game. Brand deals, March Madness buzz, maybe even a one-and-done arc. One thing’s clear: The Arenas name isn’t fading anytime soon. Watch out, college hoops.