Five-star Chatsworth guard Alijah Arenas commits to Eric Musselman and USC

Eric Musselman knew well before he took the reins at USC that recruiting the Southland and its wellspring of hoops talent would be essential to his success with the Trojans.

“We have to recruit L.A.,” Musselman said after a game in December. “And not just recruit them a little bit. We have to recruit them relentlessly.”

That unrelenting approach on the recruiting trail had yet to fully resonate until Thursday, when five-star Chatsworth guard Alijah Arenas, one of the top uncommitted prospects in this year’s class, committed to the Trojans.

Arenas’ commitment marks the biggest recruiting victory of the Musselman era, the first five-star prospect to endorse the coach’s vision in L.A.

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Arenas, the son of former NBA player Gilbert Arenas, is the No. 10 recruit in this year’s class and the second-ranked prospect in the state, according to 247 Sports. He picked USC over Arizona, among other schools.

“It felt like the best fit,” Arenas said while announcing his commitment on his father’s podcast, “Gil’s Arena.” “Seeing what USC was like, it made me feel special.”

Arenas, a 6-foot-6 guard, was named to the McDonald’s All-American game this week after reclassifying to become a senior. He’s averaging 31.8 points for Chatsworth in his third season for the Chancellors. The family decided to enroll him in a City Section public school rather than a private school in the hope it would help him improve as a leader and player facing double and triple teams.

Gilbert Arenas attended Grant High and Arizona, so USC’s success in recruiting Alijah might come as a surprise considering his father’s Arizona ties.

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Arenas gives USC a trio of prospects in this year’s class, alongside top-50 guard Jerry Easter of Missouri and four-star St. John Bosco guard Elzie Harrington. They’ll join a roster next season that will look decidedly different. More than half the team will have exhausted its eligibility, making it even more critical that Musselman establish a foothold in Southern California.

With Arenas’ commitment, he’s on the right track.