When Alijah Arenas survived that terrifying car crash, one of the first quiet but powerful signs of support came from none other than LeBron James—a simple Instagram story with just raised hands emojis. No words, just love. It was the kind of moment that showed the game goes way beyond basketball. And guess what? LeBron’s not done yet. He’s still lifting Alijah’s spirits—and the latest news proves just how big that support really is.

April 24 was anything but ordinary for 18-year-old Alijah Arenas. The son of former NBA star Gilbert Arenas was driving home from the gym when things took a scary turn—his Tesla Cybertruck crashed into a tree and a fire hydrant in L.A.’s Reseda neighborhood. Bystanders ripped him from the blaze; doctors intubated him and induced a coma for severe smoke inhalation. Yet miraculously, he pulled through. Gilbert later confirmed his son had no major injuries. And even better? More good news is headed his way as recovery continues positively.

But the latest update isn’t X-rays or rehab—it’s a power player’s surprise visit. On April 28, The Hoop Spill posted a clip of Rich Paul quietly greeting Alijah in a Beverly Hills studio—handshake, smiles, the works. And naturally, it got people talking. Why is Rich Paul meeting the USC-bound son of Gilbert Arenas? Just a friendly check-in? Or is something bigger at play?

Rewind to January 30: Alijah reclassified to 2025 and officially pledged to USC—making new Trojans head coach, Eric Musselman’s, first recruiting coup. The same Musselman who once coached Gilbert during his Golden State Warriors days in 2002-03. “For me, it felt like the best fit,” Alijah said about USC. “Being on campus made me feel special.” And special he is. The 6′6″ guard—No. 10 in ESPN, 247Sports, and On3’s 2025 class—dropped 31.8 ppg this season.

As the first McDonald’s All-American from L.A. City Section since 2009, his resume is staggering. Musselman’s move to lock down L.A.’s top talent is already paying off. And now, with Rich Paul entering the frame, the picture just got even more interesting.

Is this just support from the Klutch family after Alijah’s recovery? Or is there a bigger game plan being drawn up behind the scenes? Either way, Alijah has the NBA’s power brokers circling.

Alijah Arenas signs with Klutch—big news for USC’s future star

On May 2, Klutch Sports announced they’d inked Alijah to an NIL partnership—joining LeBron, Bronny, Anthony Davis, and LaMelo Ball. And the internet has feelings. The five-star USC commit now shares representation with major names like LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Jalen Hurts, LaMelo Ball, and college stars like Bronny James and JuJu Watkins. The announcement dropped on Instagram, confirming Arenas as the latest addition to the Klutch roster—and fans immediately took to the comments.

Klutch turned JuJu Watkins into a national face with Nike and State Farm deals. And now they’ve added USC’s prize recruit. Klutch is expanding deep into the college game, and Alijah is the next marquee name. “Arenas will now be represented by Klutch Sports Group as an NIL agreement was agreed to with the Trojan commit,” the announcement read. It’s a bold, strategic play that aligns with his already-rising basketball stock.

While many celebrated the move—“Only right,” and “Yesss!!!”—others saw it coming from miles away. “We all knew this was coming, that’s why his Dad 🧢 for Bron daily!” one fan wrote. Some even poked fun at Gilbert, saying, “Gil never beating the allegations,” and “We knew!! Gilbert ass was with Klutch Sports this whole time, that’s why he always d— riding Bron and disrespecting Kobe.” Still, love it or side-eye it, the signing is a power move for Alijah. Klutch doesn’t just build athletes—it builds brands.

With Klutch Sports and Rich Paul backing him, Alijah Arenas is primed for greatness. The five-star USC prospect is surrounded by some of the biggest names in sports, making his potential even more exciting.