Matt Barnes's sons Isaiah and Carter Barnes share 1-word reaction to cousin Alijah Arenas's commitment to the USC Trojans

Alijah Arenas, a highly regarded high school basketball prospect and son of former NBA star Gilbert Arenas, has committed to the USC Trojans, sending waves of excitement through the basketball community. His cousins, Isaiah and Carter Barnes—sons of ex-NBA player Matt Barnes—reacted to the news on Instagram with a simple message.

“Yessssirrrr 💦,” the Barnes twins wrote on their common Instagram account.

Image via Instagram@thebarnesboys

Isaiah and Carter Barnes are the sons of Matt Barnes and Gloria Govan. While Alijah Arenas is the eldest son of Gilbert Arenas and Laura Govan. Laura Govan and Gloria Govan are a sibling actor duo.

Alijah Arenas revealed his decision on his father's Gil's Arena podcast on Thursday. While on air, he called USC head coach Eric Musselman to break the news.

"Let's go!," Musselman screamed as soon as Arenas revealed the news to him.

Standing at 6-foot-6, Arenas is the No. 7 overall prospect and the top-ranked shooting guard in the 2025 class, per 247Sports’ Composite rankings. The Chatsworth High School player is also California’s second-best player in the class. Despite offers from powerhouse programs like Kansas, Kentucky, Louisville, and Arizona —where his father played— Arenas chose to join USC.

His commitment significantly bolsters Musselman’s 2025 recruiting class, and will push USC to No. 7 nationally in the 2025 class rankings. He joins fellow top recruits Jerry Easter and Elzie Harrington. While USC has had a turbulent season under Musselman, currently holding a 12-8 record, Arenas’s arrival marks a promising future.

Alijah Arenas brings elite scoring and size to USC basketball

Alijah Arenas's commitment to USC follows a remarkable high school career at Chatsworth High School in California, where he has consistently put up eye-catching numbers.

The 6-foot-6 guard has showcased his offensive versatility in high school and is averaging 31.8 points and 8.5 rebounds per game so far in his career. In the 2023-24 season alone, he posted averages of 33.0 points and 8.6 rebounds per game.

Renowned for his scoring ability, Arenas possesses a lethal step-back jumper and elite physical tools. 247Sports Director of Scouting Adam Finkelstein praised him as a “versatile scoring threat,” highlighting his unique attributes.

“Arenas is a smooth-scoring guard with terrific positional size and length,” Finkelstein noted. “He’s a bit of a late-bloomer who has continued to grow throughout his high school career and now stands at nearly 6-foot-6 with a massive 7-foot wingspan and 8-foot-9 standing reach. He also has elite, almost glue-like hands.”

Arenas’s standout high school performances earned him a spot in the prestigious McDonald’s All-American Game. His decision to join USC keeps him in Los Angeles, where he grew up, making his commitment a homecoming of sorts.