When Alijah Arenas recently decided to reclassify to the 2025 class there were any number of ways his recruitment could have gone. Instead of leaving home to play at Arizona, his dad's alma mater, Kentucky, Kansas or Louisville, the Chatsworth High standout will not leave Southern California.

Thursday, the 6-foot-4, 175-pound shooting guard decided that USC is where he wants to be, and he announced his commitment to play for Eric Musselman and the Trojans on his father's podcast, Gil's Arena.

In Arenas, the Trojans get one of the top scorers in the country as he has put together a stellar career at Chatsworth. It pushed him up to the No. 4 spot in the 2026 class prior to his decision earlier in the winter to move up to the 2025 class and expedite his recruitment.

The five-star recruit was recently named as a McDonald's All-American based on his his body of work as a high school prospect. He joins a loaded recruiting class for Musselman's program in the new coaching staff's first full cycle with the Trojans.

Four-star guard Jerry Easter signed with the Trojans back in November and former Harvard commit Elzie Harrington flipped to USC last month. Both recruits rank inside the top 50.

Arenas called Musselman on FaceTime to announce his decision live on the podcast Thursday afternoon just before the Trojans hit the floor for practice. The first-year USC head coach replied with a comment of "are you serious" before letting out an excited "let's go" comment upon receiving the news.

He added "thank you for trusting us" to his newest addition in the 2025 class.

"For me it felt like the best fit," the newest USC commit said about his decision on the podcast. " ... Going on campus and seeing how being at USC was like, it just made me feel special. Talking to the coach and seeing what I could possibly be, it was just amazing for me."

The 2025 recruit was in the stands at Galen Center for the recent game against UCLA, and the atmosphere around that matchup made an impact as well.

"That was special," he said. "Seeing the game, it was very fun for me. I was there with my family on that recruiting trip, and I liked what I saw. So, for me, it was pretty easy. All the other colleges that recruited me, I was very thankful and it was very special to me."

Arenas's father, Gilbert, did play for Musselman in the NBA early in his career with the Golden State Warriors. Gilbert Arenas said that overseas options were considered by the family when going through the process but that ultimately it was his son's connection with his former head coach that made the difference for the Trojans.

"I guess with him from what he said was Musselman talked to him every day," Gilbert Arenas said. "He said some schools didn't reach back out, I think because he was still a junior. Once he became a senior, I guess no one got the memo. He said, 'I talked to (Musselman) every day.'"

Arenas will get his opportunity to sign with the Trojans in April when the spring regular signing period opens up April 16.