It’s the kind of phone call no parent ever wants to get.
In late April, former NBA All-Star Gilbert Arenas’ teenage son, Alijah, crashed his Tesla Cybertruck into a fire hydrant and tree. The vehicle erupted in flames. Alijah—trapped inside—couldn’t escape. The doors locked. The bulletproof windows wouldn’t budge. By the time he was pulled out by nearby good samaritans, the damage was already severe. He was placed in an induced coma and hospitalized for days.
Now, for the first time since the accident, Gilbert is opening up about what really happened—and what nearly cost his son his life.
“The car malfunctioned on him,” Arenas told the “All The Smoke” podcast. “The steering wheel went limp and ran him right into a tree.”
McDonald's All American West guard Alijah Arenas (16) dribbles the ball during the first half of the game McDonald's All American East at Barclays Center.
McDonald's All American West guard Alijah Arenas (16) dribbles the ball during the first half of the game McDonald's All American East at Barclays Center.
Pamela Smith-Imagn Images
That, he says, is the truth. Not the rumors that Alijah fell asleep at the wheel. Gilbert dismissed that theory, revealing his son was actually on the phone with 9-1-1 for 10 minutes trying to get help as the truck began to burn.
“He couldn’t break the window. Physically, he said he was trying to kick the window in and couldn’t. If you’re a parent and your teen has this car, you might want to put a hammer in that joint,” he warned.
Arenas got candid about the emotional toll of the near-death experience.
“I gave him that speech. You’re a lucky one to see this. Most people don’t get to see the flowers and how everyone reacts when something happens… You can’t take this shit for granted.”
Thankfully, Alijah has recovered and is expected to begin his college basketball career at USC this fall. The 18-year-old McDonald’s All-American remains one of the top-ranked prospects in the country. And now, he’s carrying more than just talent into the next chapter—he’s carrying perspective.