Gilbert Arenas' son Alijah Arenas claims he is a better hooper than his dad following McDonald's All-American nod

Former NBA All-Star Gilbert Arenas’ son and five-star shooting guard Alijah Arenas claimed he is better at basketball than his father during a live stream on Gil Arena’s YouTube channel on Monday.

The younger Arenas was asked if he thought he was a better basketball player than his dad after being named a McDonald's All-American. He responded (1:13:03):

“Yes, most definitely.”

Earlier in the show, Gilbert announced that Alijah has been selected to play in the McDonald’s All-American game. It is another significant achievement in the elite prospect’s career, achieving a feat that even his dad could not attain.

When asked how he feels about achieving the feat, he said:

“It’s special. It feels great. Just to be a part of something special and play in a really big game, especially for me, having watched the game last year. I just always wanted to know what it felt like to play in a special game like that.”

Alijah Arenas’ reclassification and top five college destinations

Alijah Arenas recently reclassified to the 2025 class. Notwithstanding, he remains a top prospect, ranking No. 13 overall and No. 5 in his position, per the On3 Industry Ranking. His reclassification means his college commitment is also happening sooner than fans might have anticipated.

He announced his final five schools on Monday: Louisville, Arizona, Kansas, Kentucky and USC.

The Wildcats are a strong favorite to land Alijah Arenas, where he could possibly join LeBron James’ younger son, Bryce James, who is committed to Arizona. On the other hand, the Trojans also have a strong claim, as Arenas is from the Golden State. However, he has an important link with Louisville which might work in favor of the Cardinals.

Alijah’s elder sister, Izela, is a freshman on Louisville’s women’s basketball team. He mentioned her influence in his consideration of the program in an interview with 247Sports:

“Actually, me looking at the school in the first place is because of her. Seeing how great she’s doing, I feel like it kind of opened the door for me. The way she is playing and is feeling as a person is helping open more doors and the connection is really good.”

Notwithstanding, Kentucky and Kansas remain very much in the mix.