From a college hooper to a cheerleading champ — all five of Gilbert Arenas’ kids and their mothers

When we’re playing, we’re dads, but we’re not dads. We have the title as dad, but when you really break down our days, our weeks, we’re really not there… So when I was done playing, I wanted to be a father, a real father.

This 2026 quote from the former NBA All-Star reflects the re-evaluation of his priorities to fully show up for each of his children after retirement. Gilbert Arenas’ kids, Izela, Alijah, Aloni, Hamiley, and Mya aka Gia, share two mothers, Laura Govan and Lindsay Faulk, but remain the absolute centre of his world.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Key takeaways

• Gilbert Arenas became a father for the first time in 2005 when he welcomed his eldest daughter, Izela Arenas.
• He has four children, Izela, Alijah, Hamiley, and Aloni, with his former partner, Laura Govan, a Basketball Wives LA alum.
• Gilbert Arenas shares his youngest daughter, Gia, also known as Mya, with Lindsey Faulk.
• The former NBA All-Star is currently married to YouTuber and relationship coach Melli Monaco.

Meet all of Gilbert Arenas’ kids

Gilbert Arenas is the father of five children, and his family has grown over the years through relationships with two different partners, Laura Govan and Lindsay Faulk. While much of his children’s lives remain private, their names and mothers are publicly known. Here is a closer look at Gilbert Arenas’ children, from eldest to youngest.

Izela Arenas

• Full name: Izela Arenas
• Date of birth: 24 December 2005
• Age: 20 years old (as of May 2026)
• Mother: Laura Govan

Izela Arenas is the eldest daughter of the former professional basketball player, Gilbert Arenas and Laura Govan. She developed into a standout basketball talent at Sierra Canyon School. There, she played alongside top prospects such as JuJu Watkins and Mackenly Randolph.

Izela helped lead the team to multiple championships, including a CIF State Open Division title and an ESPN national championship. Her breakout moment came in May 2023 when she won the Overtime Elite “Queen of the Court” one-on-one competition in Atlanta. She secured the title by hitting four consecutive three-pointers.

In a 2023 interview with Overtime’s Film School series, alongside Paige Bueckers, Izela said she models her game after both of her parents. Later that year, she committed to the University of Louisville. During Louisville media day in 2024, she reflected on her transition to college basketball:

In terms of basketball, the pace of the game … for the last three months it’s been a great experience, just, you know, getting into that environment. I think I’m going to be nervous [during the first game], but once tipoff starts, I’m going to be in the zone.

Alijah Arenas

• Full name: Alijah Amani Arenas
• Date of birth: 16 March 2007
• Age: 19 years old (as of 2026)
• Mother: Laura Govan

Alijah Arenas is an American college basketball player. He was born during his father’s NBA All-Star season with the Washington Wizards. He has since developed into a 6’6″ elite scoring guard and is ranked among the top shooting guards nationally.

In a 2024 appearance on Podcast P with Paul George, his father described their intense training routine:

Ain’t no days off … We get 3 [hundred or] 400 shots up before school. He’s coachable … depending on what day it is in the mornings we’ll get up at like 5:30 so he [practices] an hour and a half. [He goes to school, comes home and then] works out and we got lifting right after and then we got more shooting, more dribbling.

In the same interview, Gilbert Arenas explained their structured daily schedule, which includes early-morning workouts, school, weight training, and additional skill work throughout the day.

Alijah later reclassified academically and committed to the USC Trojans, further solidifying his status as one of the top prospects in his class.

In April 2025, Alijah was involved in a serious single-car accident in Los Angeles while driving a Tesla Cybertruck. He was rescued from the vehicle and later placed in a medically induced coma due to severe smoke inhalation. He ultimately recovered and avoided any life-threatening injuries.

Later that summer, his planned USC debut was delayed after he suffered a torn meniscus from overtraining. The injury required surgery and an estimated 6 to 8 months of recovery time.

Hamiley Arenas

• Full name: Hamiley Arenas
• Date of birth: 9 December 2009
• Age: 16 years old (as of May 2026)
• Mother: Laura Govan

Hamiley is the daughter of Gilbert Arenas and Laura Govan. She plays basketball at Notre Dame Sherman Oaks and has emerged as a promising young athlete while balancing both academics and creative pursuits.

Her mother, Laura Govan, once shared the emotional story of her birth in a 2024 birthday Instagram post, writing:

So Let Me Tell you About my Miracle Baby … she was Born Breech … but not until my 8 months In & my amniotic sac erupted in my belly, and she Had 23 mins to get out of my belly. My RIB was broken getting her out and hearing her first breath. I would Do It Again And Again For YOU Everything About YOU is EVERYTHING… I LoVe U Deep Mija SCREAMING Happy Birthday

In 2025, high school coverage and social media reports, Hamiley went viral after scoring 30 points during her Sweet 16 week. Alongside basketball, she is also a budding writer who contributes to her school publication, showcasing her creative side and growing profile.

Aloni Arenas

• Full name: Aloni Arenas
• Date of birth: 1 June 2011
• Age: 14 years old (as of May 2026)
• Mother: Laura Govan

Aloni is the younger son of Gilbert Arenas and Laura Govan, and has already attracted attention as a rising youth basketball prospect. His father first highlighted his talent in an Instagram post during his elementary school years, writing:

Aloni Arenas up next

By middle school, Aloni was already gaining national attention after viral clips showed him scoring against older competition. In 2024, ESPN’s SportsCenter Next coverage described him as a promising future star following standout performances with Compton Magic, including a 34-point game.

Gia Arenas

• Full name: Gia Arenas
• Date of birth: 14 November 2014
• Age: 11 years old (as of May 2026)
• Mother: Lindsay Faulk

Gia is the youngest child of Gilbert Arenas and Lindsey Faulk. Unlike her basketball-focused siblings, she has built her identity through cheerleading.

In 2024, Gia and her team won a National Cheerleading Association (NCA) Division Championship in Dallas. She marked the achievement on Instagram, writing:

Dallas did not disappoint Thank you @ncacheer for weekend that will last a life time!! #cheer cheercomp #nca #dallas

FAQs

1. Who is Gilbert Arenas? He is a former NBA player, sports broadcaster and digital content creator.
2. How old is Gilbert Arenas? Gilbert is 44 years old as of 2026. He was born on 6 January 1982.
3. How many kids does Gilbert Arenas have? The former NBA star has five children: two sons and three daughters.
4. Who are the mothers of Gilbert Arenas’ children? The mothers of Gilbert’s children are reality television personality and former collegiate basketball player Laura Govan and entrepreneur Lindsay Faulk.
5. Who are Gilbert Arenas’ 5 children? His children are Izela, Alijah, Hamiley, Aloni, and Gia Arenas.
6. What happened to Gilbert Arenas’ son, Alijah? Arenas was involved in a serious car accident in April 2025, resulting in smoke inhalation and a medically induced coma, though he later recovered without life-threatening injuries.
7. What are Gilbert Arenas’ kids’ ages? As of 2026, Izela is 20 years old, Alijah is 19, Hamiley is 16, Aloni is 14, and Gia is 11.
8. How much did Gilbert Arenas pay in child support? He initially paid about $20,000 per month in child support, later increasing it to around $35,000, about $44,000 including tuition, before a court reduced the official amount to roughly $7,100 per month.

Gilbert Arenas’ kids are Izela Arenas, Alijah Arenas, Hamiley Arenas, Aloni Arenas, and Gia Arenas. He shares them with two mothers, Laura Govan and Lindsey Faulk, and remains actively involved in their growth and athletic journeys.

Legit.ng recently published an article on Dave Chappelle’s kids. The stand-up comedian is a father who shares three children, two sons and a daughter with his wife, Elaine Chappelle.

Dave Chappelle is known for keeping his family life private and rarely sharing details about his children with the public. Dave’s only daughter, Sanaa, made a brief appearance with him in the 2018 film A Star Is Born when she was 9 years old.

Proofreading by Kola Muhammed, copy editor at Legit.ng.

Source: Legit.ng