"I looked at the video; he's a defensive player…He was like 'Oh no, he trash'" - Gilbert Arenas on his son Alijah humbling Naz Reid
Naz Reid earned the Sixth Man of the Year award in the 2023-24 season not only for his offensive contributions, which saw him average 13.5 points on 41.4 percent shooting from beyond the arc, but also for his lockdown defense. With 0.8 steals and 0.9 blocks per game, the 6'9" center showcased his two-way abilities. More notably, his proficiency in containing Nikola Jokic in the second-round series last season was one of the primary reasons why the Minnesota Timberwolves were able to eliminate the Denver Nuggets.
However, when Reid went face-to-face with high school phenom Alijah Arenas, it apparently proved to be no match for him. Instead, the T-Wolves big man was so viciously frustrated that he walked out of the gym, as per his dad, Gilbert.
Alijah found Reid to be no match for him
Alijah has established himself as one of the most dazzling guards in high school basketball. On the Adidas 3SSB circuit in July, he averaged 22.0 points and 4.2 rebounds over six games while shooting over 46 percent from the long range. As a result, his dominant display certified his position as the No. 1 shooting guard and No. 4 overall prospect in the class of 2026.
With collegiate offers pouring in from programs like UCLA, Kansas, Arizona, Texas, and Kentucky among more, the 17-year-old appears already in the shape to outshine NBA players.
Gilbert recently shared a story about his son training with players like Kevin Durant, in which Alijah casually mentioned dominating a player throughout his time on the court. Eventually, it turned out that the victim was Reid, who reportedly was so thoroughly outperformed that he forced his way out of the gym.
"Hey, this is a true… He said, 'Man, there was a dude in a blue shirt. Oh my god, I was mopping his a**'… I'm like, 'You scored a couple of buckets?' He said, 'No, every time he guarded me, I gave his a** that work. He was mad and he ended up leaving," Arenas said. "I looked at the video, it was Naz Reid. I was like, wait a minute, he's a defensive player. He's like 'Oh no, he trash.'"
Alijah could be a star in the making
Had it not been for his infamous gun incident and constant injuries "The Hibachi" seemed destined to be one of the most lethal pure scorers in the league, so it is clear that Alijah has inherited his father's scoring genes.
Although there is no video evidence of the young Arenas dominating Reid yet, Gil's conviction lends credibility to the tale. If his son could already outplay a reigning 6MOTY at just 17, the NBA community should be on high alert for what he might achieve with further development.
That being said, it will be interesting to witness if the 6'6" guard outshines other young prospects like Cooper Flagg in the future. If anything, his tales of dominance are sure to be hailed by his father.
