Why USC Star Alijah Arenas Chose To Play For Trojans Instead Of Declaring For NBA Draft

USC Trojans freshman Alijah Arenas could have easily chosen a different path. With his pedigree, early draft buzz, and limited need to prove himself physically, declaring for the NBA, even without college film, was a legitimate path. Instead, Arenas is choosing to play.

That decision came into sharper focus in recent weeks as Arenas practiced for the first time with the USC Trojans, marking a key step in his ramp-up from a torn meniscus suffered last summer. It was a meaningful milestone in a year defined less by his basketball abilities and more by personal problems.

USC Trojans guard Alijah Arenas coach Eric Musselman NBA draft Big Ten basketball Rodney Rice — Dec 21, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; USC Trojans guard Alijah Arenas (0) warms up prior to the game against the UC Santa Cruz Banana Slugs at Galen Center. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

The freshman guard’s transition from high school to college has been anything but smooth. In April, Arenas was hospitalized and placed in a medically induced coma after a single-car crash that caused smoke inhalation. He spent six days in the hospital before beginning a lengthy recovery. Two months later, the knee injury shut down his on-court progress again, forcing another pause just as his college career was set to begin.

Why Declaring for the NBA Was Legitimate

Against that backdrop, Arenas had options. He reclassified from the 2026 to 2025 recruiting cycle out of Chatsworth, California, with one of the most decorated résumés in California high school history. He was the 2024–25 Cal-Hi Sports Division II Player of the Year, LA Daily News All-Area Player of the Year, a John R. Wooden Award recipient, and now sits No. 14 on the state’s all-time scoring list.

Early NBA projections reflected that profile. Sports Illustrated mocked Arenas 17th overall in a 2026 “way-too-early” draft, while USA Today had him 11th. Since then, injuries and a lack of college film have cooled the market, he didn’t appear on ESPN’s most recent Top 100 big board, but precedent matters.

Kansas Jayhawks freshman Darryn Peterson has played just four games this season and remains a projected top-three pick. Memphis Grizzlies rookie forward Cedric Coward appeared in six college games before a major shoulder injury and still landed in the lottery conversation. Simply declaring would not have been farfetched.

Instead, Arenas leaned on the people around him. He said the decision ultimately came down to belief, both his own and the voices inside USC’s locker room.

“I decided I could do either/or,” Arenas said. “But my teammates were the key factor.”

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His teammate Rodney Rice of course has experience losing time as a freshman to injury all too well. Rice lost his entire season to with the Virginia Tech Hokies to an ankle injury before even playing an official collegiate game. Since, Rice had a breakout season with the Maryland Terrapins and was off to a hot start with the Trojans as well.

The message was consistent: missing time didn’t mean missing progress, and returning to the floor could strengthen both his confidence and long-term outlook.

Why USC Needs Him Now

That choice could soon benefit a USC team navigating real adversity. Guard Rodney Rice, one of the nation’s most productive transfers early in the season, underwent right shoulder surgery and is out for the year. Amarion Dickerson is expected to miss several months with a hip injury. The Trojans added former Robert Morris guard Kam Woods for depth, but not ceiling.

USC is 11-1 despite the injuries. If Arenas is cleared and ready during the heart of Big Ten play, his return could change the calculus, adding youth, shot creation, and long-term upside to a rotation that needs it. Arenas was projected to make a mid-January return and recent comments from from coach Eric Musselman indicate that he's still on the path to make that debut.