Kentucky target Alijah Arenas, son of former NBA star Gilbert Arenas, reclassifying to 2025

Less than a week after announcing an offer from Kentucky, Alijah Arenas is now in the process of reclassifying up from 2026 to 2025.

Arenas, ranked No. 4 in the country in 2026, is the son of former NBA star Gilbert Arenas, who was a three-time All-Star (2005-07) with the Washington Wizards and the 2003 Most Improved Player award winner. During a live stream on Monday night, Gilbert made it known that his son is going up a grade and expects to start his college basketball career with the 2025-26 season.

“We’re reclassing up right now,” Gilbert Arenas said on Playback. “I think they just approved it today.”

A five-star shooting guard from Chatsworth (CA), Alijah Arenas became the 11th 2026 prospect to receive a scholarship from the Wildcats. The likes of Kansas, Texas, Alabama, Arizona (his father’s alma mater), Louisville, UCLA, and more have also offered. But a move to 2025 will change his recruitment significantly.

Kentucky head coach Mark Pope already has three 2025 prospects committed with a fourth, five-star forward Caleb Wilson, expected to ultimately join the fold. Two of those three currently on board (five-star SG Jasper Johnson and four-star PG Acaden Lewis) are also guards and occupy the same space on the floor as Arenas. Will Pope still push to add Arenas into what could be a busy backcourt? It’s not out of the question.

“For college, the atmosphere and the crowd is kind of the number one thing I’m looking for,” Arenas previously told On3. “That helps the team so much. I’m going to look at who I think can take my game to the next level, which is pro. I’ll look at player development and who I think will develop me the best.”

Arizona and Louisville make sense as teams that could jump on Arenas following this news. His father was a two-year star at Arizona from 1999-01 before making the jump to the NBA. With the Cardinals, his older sister, Izela Arenas, is currently a freshman on the women’s basketball team. Arenas has taken two unofficial visits so far to Arizona and UCLA.