The “Muss Bus” is retaining one of its most important passengers.
Alijah Arenas, the USC freshman guard who showed glimpses of tantalizing potential, will return for a second season with the Trojans after withdrawing from NBA draft consideration, a person close to the situation confirmed to the California Post on Monday.
The news was first reported by the Los Angeles Times.
The return of Arenas – the son of three-time NBA All-Star Gilbert Arenas – gives USC coach Eric Musselman his best roster heading into his third season with the Trojans and should increase membership on the bandwagon known as the Muss Bus.
Arenas joins returning guard Rodney Rice – the team’s leading scorer who was limited to six games last season by a shoulder injury – and forward Jacob Cofie in addition to transfers Eric Reibe, K.J. Lewis and Jalen Cox. The team will also welcome heralded freshmen Christian Collins as well as 7-foot twins Adonis and Darius Ratliff.
After surviving a harrowing Tesla Cybertruck crash last spring, Arenas suffered a further setback when he suffered a knee injury during summer workouts. Making his collegiate debut in late January, the 6-foot-6 wing player immediately flashed his talent with silky moves and bursts of scoring.
Arenas started 13 of 14 games, averaging 14.1 points, 2.9 rebounds and 2.1 assists. He earned Big Ten Conference freshman-of-the-week honors after scoring a career-high 29 points against Indiana and 24 points against Penn State in early February.
Further showing his star potential, Arenas led the Trojans in scoring in their first two games after teammate Chad Baker-Mazara was dismissed from the team.
But there were also signs that Arenas might need further seasoning before heading to the NBA. He could be turnover-prone, made only 21.3% of his 3-pointers and was benched for the final six minutes of regulation and all but eight seconds of overtime during USC’s season-ending loss to Washington in the Big Ten Tournament.
Apparently not one to hold a grudge, Arenas will return for what the Trojans hope is an all-aboard season as they try to make the NCAA Tournament for the first time under Musselman.
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