USC Trojans' Alijah Arenas Honors Father With Number Choice: Next Agent Zero?

The crown jewel of the USC Trojans' 2025 recruiting class has decided on his number for his upcoming freshman season.

True freshman guard Alijah Arenas has chosen to honor his dad, former NBA star Gilbert Arenas or "Agent Zero," in a touching way with the number he will wear with the Trojans.

Mar 8, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Eric Musselman reacts in the second half against the UCLA Bruins at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Connor Morrisette of 247Sports posted on X that Arenas will wear No. 0 for the Trojans, the number his father wore during the prime of his career with the Washington Wizards.

Alijah Arenas will wear No. 0 at USC. pic.twitter.com/f4vntXv6MB
— Connor Morrissette (@C_Morrissette) June 12, 2025

After experiencing a scary medical emergency earlier this year, Arenas is recovering and is expected to be a full go when school gets going for USC.

The No. 1 shooting guard and No. 7 player in the country according to 247Sports Composite rankings, Arenas will be the big man on campus as a freshman. Expect to see plenty of No. 0 Arenas jerseys in Galen Center this season as Arenas is expected to be a big contributor in USC's rotation this season.

Adam Finkelstein of 247Sports said that Arenas has catchup up and grow physically since he re-classified to the 2026 recruiting class, but added his potential is through the roof.

"Arenas is a smooth scoring guard with terrific positional size and length. He’s a bit of a late-bloomer who has continued to grow throughout his high school career and now stands at nearly 6-foot-6 with a massive 7-foot wingspan and 8-foot-9 standing reach. The bottom line is that Arenas is a glaring talent in the mist of a late growth spurt and has significant long-term potential," Finkelstein said.

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Mar 1, 2025; Eugene, Oregon, USA; USC Trojans head coach Eric Musselman reacts to the action in the second half against the Oregon Ducks at Matthew Knight Arena. Mandatory Credit: Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images | Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images

USC coach Eric Musselman did a good job in reloading the program after losing a bulk of the past season's production to the transfer portal and eligibility expirations. Along with Arenas, the Trojans brought in another four-star guard, Jerry Easter, in their 2026 recruiting class.

The Trojans built the bulk of their roster via the transfer portal, bringing in a couple of highly sought-after recruits in guard Rodney Rice and forward Chad Baker-Mazara.

Rice was the No. 6 shooting guard and No. 25 player in the transfer portal according to 247Sports and was being pursued by some high-major programs including Villanova and Auburn before ultimately landing with USC.

Baker-Mazara was the No. 3 small forward and No. 21 player in the transfer portal. His departure from Auburn, a 2025 Final Four team, was somewhat a surpise, but Trojan fans will have no complaints about landing one of the oldest and most experienced players in college basketball.

Musselman will have a starting five led by Baker-Mazara, Rice, and Arenas, which will be one of the most dangerous trios in the Big Ten and could be one of the best in the country by the time the postseason rolls around.

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