Like father like son. But only this time, the latter has a one-up. Alijah, son of the three-time NBA All-Star Gilbert Arenas, recently made a major move, reclassifying from the 2026 class to the 2025. While the shift means the 17-year-old has to make some big college decisions earlier than expected, it hasn’t slowed down his rise.

247Sports broke the news with a post that immediately turned heads. “Alijah Arenas, son of NBA legend Gilbert Arenas, recently reclassified to the 2025 class and now ranks as the No. 10 player in the nation 🔥,” they shared on social media.

At 17 (turning 18 in March), Alijah outperformed his father, who bloomed late, finishing 99th nationally in the class of 1999. Still, Gil was one of the most explosive players in the NBA for 11 seasons with 4 teams. During his heydays, he averaged 20.7 points, 5.3 assists, and 3.9 rebounds in 552 regular-season games, became a 3x All-Star, and won a Most Improved Player honor. Can young Alijah also beat these stats? He does have potential.

However, Alijah’s good news doesn’t end here. Young Arenas may play in the 2025 McDonald’s All-American Game on April 1 at the Barclays Center. It will feature the best high school players in the country in a battle of East vs. West.

Out of California’s impressive 59 nominees, only a handful will make the final cut. Among the frontrunners? Darryn Peterson, Brayden Burries, and, of course, Alijah Arenas. With his pedigree, skill, and determination, it’s hard to bet against him taking the court in Brooklyn.

However, not every rating is kind to the young guard.

Gil’s son drops in overall rating

Now that Gilbert Arenas’ son is officially a senior, his move to the Class of 2025 has come with some unexpected changes. As the No. 4 overall prospect from the Class of 2026, his ranking was once considered untouchable. However, with his reclassification, the eldest son of Gilbert Arenas has seen a slight drop shaking up where he stands in the national spotlight.

Just weeks ago, On3 updated their rankings and had some surprising news at hand. Once a 4-star powerhouse in his original class, Alijah now sits at No. 17 overall as a senior. He also holds the title of the No. 5 shooting guard in the nation and remains the fourth-best player in California. The numbers may have shifted, but one thing is clear—Alijah’s game is still making waves.

Interestingly, not all players experienced the same reclassification shuffle. Take AJ Dybantsa, for example. He also moved up to the Class of 2025 but retained his No. 1 rank, keeping his dominance untouched and nudging Cameron Boozer to second place.

Even with the changes, colleges aren’t backing off. Programs like UCLA and Arizona are already leading the pack in pursuit of Alijah. With offers still piling up, his future remains as bright as ever.