Alijah Arenas has yet to play for USC this season because of a knee injury he suffered last summer. This injury caused him to miss the Trojans’ nonconference schedule. However, Arenas, who is the son of former NBA star Gilbert Arenas, has recently ramped up his workload and participated in USC’s practice sessions last week.
What Did USC Coach Eric Musselman Say About Alijah Arenas’ Recovery Plan?
The Trojans are looking forward to Arenas making his college basketball debut. USC coach Eric Musselman spoke with the media on Sunday. He discussed his plans for the freshman guard. This includes a minutes restriction for Arenas during his first few games this season.
Arenas had to go under the knife in July to repair the torn meniscus, ACL, and cartilage damage on his knee. The recovery period typically lasts six to eight months. In December, the 6’6″Â guard was reportedly joining team practices. This was a way to get his feet wet after missing basketball action due to injury.
Initially, there were expectations that Arenas might return and debut by mid-January 2026. However, Trojans coach Eric Musselman indicated during a media scrum on Sunday that Arenas is now close to joining the team for Big Ten Conference regular-season games.
“Alijah’s been great. He’s super smart. He understands his body really well,” Musselman said. “He’s about as close to playing as a player could be. A lot of that is just because of his own work ethic on his own time too.”
The USC head coach continued that once Arenas gets cleared to play full-contact basketball, he won’t be restricted to 10 minutes of playing time, but he’ll likely stay on the court for about 20 to 25 minutes.
“Mentally for him, just coming back having not really practiced with the team at all. Where does he need to knock the rust off most? Just probably defensively,” Musselman said. “I think anytime you come off an injury it’s always about you know your ability to react. I think offensively he knows what what he can do which is a lot.”
MORE: USC’s Chad Baker-Mazara Clears the Air on Rumors of Altercation With Coach Eric Musselman
Arenas’ much-anticipated debut wearing a USC uniform comes when the team is depleted in its backcourt. Transfer guard Rodney Rice underwent shoulder surgery and will return next season while Amarion Dickerson suffered a hip injury that would likely miss him several months of court action.
Despite the injuries to its key guards, the Trojans are 12-1, and Arenas’ health clearance would boost backcourt depth, helping leading scorer Chad Baker-Mazara run the USC offense in Big Ten play. His return is expected to bring youth, additional shot creation, and long-term upside to USC’s rotation.
He might come in fresher than his teammates and foes during his return and will provide energy to Musselman’s team in their campaign for the Big Ten regular season title and a berth in the NCAA Tournament.
USC will open January 2026 with three straight away games against No. 2-ranked Michigan (11-0), No. 9 Michigan State (11-1), and Minnesota (7-5) as a test of its toughness for this season.
