Another Arenas is heading to the college basketball scene. Five-star guard Alijah Arenas, son of former NBA All-Star Gilbert Arenas, made his commitment to USC official—and he did it in style—right on his father’s podcast, Gil’s Arenas. The announcement didn’t go unnoticed, especially by fans.

“Let’s go!” USC head coach Eric Musselman shouted with excitement as Alijah, sitting beside his dad and former NBA guard Nick Young, took off his jacket to reveal a No. 0 USC jersey—an homage to his father’s iconic “Agent Zero” nickname. Alijah Arenas had drawn interest from major programs like Kansas, Kentucky, Arizona, and Louisville, but ultimately, it was USC.

But he wasn’t the only one to have created anticipation around his college announcement.

Part of the 2025 recruiting class, LeBron James’ younger son, Bryce, had been considering his options among Arizona, Ohio State and Duquesne. After a few visits over the last couple of years, he announced his “100% commitment” to Arizona just earlier this month. Considering the two have been friends for a while now, hailing from California, and that Alijah included Arizona in his top-5, the two were expected to play together.

But with the decision out, Bryce seemed unfazed. He reposted Alijah’s announcement on his Instagram story, signaling nothing but support.

According to GoAZCats reporter Matt Moreno, Musselman was relentless in his recruitment, speaking with Arenas every single day. That consistent communication built a bond that ultimately won him over, despite Gilbert Arenas’ roots in Arizona as well. With fair bit connections, it’s not a surprise, Alijah’s announcement came as a shocker for fans.

Alijah Arenas’ Commitment to USC Adds fuel to the wildfire amongst fans.

Fans were eagerly anticipating Arenas Jr. to commit to Arizona. The buzz grew after Bryce James’ commitment. But Alijah had his reasons. “For me, (USC) felt like the best fit,” he said. “I talked to the coach, and seeing what I could possibly be in, it was just amazing for me.”

But fans aren’t convinced. “Alijah Arenas, all you had to do was commit to Arizona…” lamented one fan.

At 6’6”, the now-USC standout is a dominant force on the court, averaging 31.8 points, 8.5 rebounds, and nearly 2.9 assists per game, while shooting an impressive 50% from the field. Having signed four-star forward Dwayne Aristode and 3-star guard, Bryce, Tommy Lloyd, was looking towards three more from the top 15 for his 2025 class, Alijah one of them. He’d even made an unofficial visit days ago. But it wasn’t meant to be, leaving fans disheartened as well.

“Man, I was really hoping Alijah Arenas chose Arizona,” added another fan.

If the two had united, it would have brought together two prominent basketball legacies under the Wildcats’ program, potentially creating a dynamic and high-profile backcourt duo. “Damn, I thought Alijah was going to Arizona with Bronny. That would’ve been good,” another spectator remarked.

Gilbert Arenas had a fair run with the Wildcats, averaging 15.4 points and 4.1 rebounds in his freshamn year. He’d also help his team to a national championship game in his sophomore year, but suffered a 82-72 loss to Duke. Maybe Alijah could have helped complete the journey. The possibility of that no longer happening seems to have Arizona fans sour.

“Arizona fans seem happy with Alijah Arenas to USC,” an X user wrote sarcastically. As of now, the team is running for five-star forward Koa Peat and shooting guard Brayden Burries.

But Arizona wasn’t the only program the 17-year-old bypassed—“Louisville, what happened?” another fan quipped. Alijah picked USC over his top five schools, which also included Louisville, Kansas, Arizona, and Kentucky.

Now, Arenas is locked in at USC which is mere 33 miles away from his home. Despite all the online chatter and fan speculation, both players appear focused on their futures—ready to dominate the college basketball world.