Eric Musselman just made his first big splash in the Los Angeles recruiting scene.
In less than a year at the helm of USC men’s basketball, Musselman has landed one of the nation’s top 2025 high school basketball prospects in Chatsworth High’s Alijah Arenas, the son of former NBA All-Star Gilbert Arenas.
Arenas made the announcement live on his father’s podcast, Gil’s Arena, on Thursday afternoon.
“For me it felt like the best fit,” Arenas said of the decision. “Being on campus made me feel special.”
More than getting Arenas to commit, the signing shows how serious Musselman is about recruiting his own backyard. Keeping talent home is a huge coup to any college coach. Musselman gets huge points here.
Arenas, who reclassified in December from the 2026 to 2025 class, is ranked the No. 10 overall prospect in 2025, according to 247Sports.com. He chose USC over Kansas, Kentucky, Louisville and Arizona.
The rangy 6-foot-6 guard was selected to be a McDonald’s All-American this year after averaging 31.8 points, 7.5 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game. Arenas is the first McDonald’s All-American selected from the LA City Section since 2009 (Renardo Sidney, Westchester).
Arenas’ father, Gilbert Arenas, was a standout at Grant High of the City Section before going on to play at Arizona and in the NBA.
It’s a full-circle moment for Gilbert, who played for Eric Musselman when Musselman was the head coach of the Golden State Warriors in 2002-03.
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