LOS ANGELES — Alijah Arenas has practiced for the first time with the Southern California basketball team as he continues to recover from a knee injury he suffered last summer.
“It feels great to be back,” Arenas said. “I've been looking forward to it. I'm not going to leave the court now.”
The rookie guard has been meeting daily with the coaching staff to learn about USC's plays and discuss strategies while he rehabs. The knee injury, diagnosed in July, required surgery.
“It was great to have him back with the rest of the guys,” coach Eric Musselman said Friday. “He has a great basketball IQ and brings a tremendous amount of energy. It seemed like he had been a part of practice for quite some time.”
Arenas intends to make his collegiate debut in mid-January.
The son of former NBA player Gilbert Arenas was involved in a car accident that left him in an induced coma in April. He spent six days in the hospital following the car accident in which Arenas crashed into a tree but suffered no major injuries.
