"He came to USC, after all, as a surefire NBA lottery pick, a sinewy playmaking marvel capable of creating his shot anywhere, anytime. He seemed like the sort of tantalizing five-star talent who could change not just the present but future of a program. But he spent almost three-quarters of what could be his only college season sidelined."
"Not 48 hours earlier, Arenas was confined to his bed, sick with a particularly unforgiving form of the flu. The virus sapped him of the strength he'd built during his first seven games at USC - another frustrating setback during a season with too many to count."
"Arenas isn't one to make excuses. 'I'm not going to blame it on [being sick,]' he said the day after the Illinois loss. There has been plenty of blame to go around during USC's seven-game losing streak. But Arenas blames himself. He should have been more prepared for this season, he says."
Alijah Arenas, a five-star freshman at USC, arrived as a highly touted NBA prospect expected to transform the program. However, he has spent nearly three-quarters of the season sidelined by injuries and illness. Playing through flu symptoms against Illinois, Arenas managed only 18 minutes and eight points in a 36-point loss. He takes personal responsibility for his struggles, believing he should have prepared better and recovered faster. USC has since lost seven consecutive games and faces an uphill battle to reach the NCAA tournament, with Arenas unable to provide the impact expected from a top prospect.
Read at Los Angeles Times
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