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In a jaw-dropping move that's shaking up the college basketball world, high school phenom Alijah Arenas - son of former NBA All-Star Gilbert Arenas - has just secured a lucrative endorsement deal with Adidas before even suiting up for USC.
The 18-year-old McDonald's All-American confirmed to TMZ Sports that he's officially aligning with the three stripes, following in his dad's iconic footsteps. While the financial details of the name, image, and likeness (NIL) deal remain under wraps, one thing's clear - Alijah is cashing in early, and big.
Adidas famously backed Gilbert with his own signature shoe line during his NBA days, reportedly paying him millions. Now, it looks like the younger Arenas is getting the same treatment before even hitting a college court. And he's earned it.
Alijah is shining in high school basketball
Alijah has rapidly become one of the most electrifying high school players in the country, ranked as the No. 1 shooting guard and No. 7 overall prospect in the 2025 class, per 247Sports.
He turned heads at the McDonald's All-American Game this week, drilling multiple threes and notching 11 points to help lead the West squad to victory - showing the poise of a future pro.
Arenas is part of a stacked USC recruiting class that includes 4-star guards Jerry Easter and Elzie Harrington, helping vault the Trojans to the No. 8 class nationally.
An empire in the making
But even among elite talent, Alijah stands out - and now, he'll be doing it in Adidas gear. "I'm excited," he told reporters, grinning at LAX as he looked ahead to donning a USC jersey - and, soon after, an NBA one.
Thanks to the evolving NIL era, stars like Arenas don't have to wait until draft night to start building their empires. And with his name, game, and now, brand - Alijah Arenas is already playing at a whole different level.