"He reminds me of myself" - James Harden relates to Gilbert Arenas' son Alijah Arenas taking on pros while still in high school 

LA Clippers star guard James Harden had high praise for Chatsworth High School star junior Alijah Arenas. The 2018 MVP likened Arenas' work ethic and desire to face the best possible competition to himself early on in his basketball journey.

Arenas, son of ex-Washington Wizards star guard Gilbert Arenas, is one of the nation's most highly touted recruits. The 6-foot-6 wing is ranked fourth in ESPN's class of 2026, with offers from numerous prestigious colleges, including Kansas, Alabama, UCLA, Texas and Arizona.

In a clip shared by The Hoop Spill on Instagram on Sunday, Harden was asked whether he has been keeping himself "involved" in high school basketball. While the 10-time All-Star said he "hasn't," he noted that Arenas' play ahead of his junior season caught his eye.

"I (saw) Alijah this summer, and he just kind of reminded me of myself in the sense of just playing against pros as a junior in high school, and that's how you get better," Harden said. "You learn the physicality; you learn the skill set and what you've got to get to."

Over the summer, Alijah Arenas played AAU basketball with the Compton Magic and participated in USA Basketball's under-17 national team training camp.

He also competed in one-on-one matchups and open runs against several NBA players, including Phoenix Suns superstar Kevin Durant and Indiana Pacers wing Bennedict Mathurin.

Arenas' ambition has seemingly earned Harden's respect, as he added that he offered to take the five-star recruit under his wing.

"So, I just spoke to him and said, 'If you ever need something, reach out, and we'll communicate and work out a couple of times,'" Harden said. "He's just a student of the game. He gets it, he gets how to work."

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Alijah Arenas wants to be known as more than a scorer, touches on his NBA comparisons

Like James Harden, Alijah Arenas is heralded as a scorer. However, the high school standout wants to expand his reputation.

"It's scoring," Arenas said when asked what he's best known for, per Forbes. "But I've actually thought about that, and I really want to change that. I don't want it to just be scoring. I want it to be many other things."

Arenas averaged 30.3 points per game as a freshman and 33.0 ppg as a sophomore. He has elicited comparisons to three-time NBA Sixth Man of the Year Jamal Crawford and OKC Thunder superstar guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

However, Arenas added that he isn't focused on emulating one specific player during the latter half of his high school career.

"I've been told — especially when I was younger — that I play like Jamal Crawford. I've (also) heard Shai a little bit," Arenas said. "Honestly, for me to tell you, I don't really know. For me, if I see something and I like it, I'll use it."

So, Arenas appears motivated to continue diversifying his skill set over the next two years as he mulls his college options.

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