Throughout June, college football teams have battled for some of the top recruits in the 2026 class, bringing them in on official visits as they try to land commitments.
One of the best recruits in the country, Jett Washington, has been pursued by numerous power-five schools and has finally made his decision as he committed to the Oregon Ducks. Oregon isn’t getting a good football player out of Washington, but great genetics too, as the young state’s uncle is arguably one of the greatest athletes of all time.
Oregon Lands Commitment from Kobe Bryant’s Nephew, Jett Washington
Jett Washington is a consensus five-star prospect, ranked as On3’s third-best safety and 28th-best player in the 2026 recruiting class. After a long recruitment, Washington finally settled on his decision as he committed to the Oregon Ducks on June 20.
🚨BREAKING🚨 5-star safety Jett Washington has committed to Oregon, @Hayesfawcett3 reports🦆
Washington is the nephew of NBA legend Kobe Bryant.
More from @ChadSimmons_: https://t.co/dEilECpIz4 pic.twitter.com/daLjNSaNey
— On3 Recruits (@On3Recruits) June 20, 2025
It makes sense that Washington is a five-star and so talented, as his uncle is the late Kobe Bryant, a five-time NBA Champion and 18-time All-Star with the Los Angeles Lakers.
Washington was also considering the Ohio State Buckeyes and the USC Trojans, both of whom, along with Oregon, he took official visits to in the past month. His last visit was with the Ducks last weekend, and it did not take long for him to make his decision.
Washington is ultra-talented and has his uncle’s height, standing at 6’5″, just one inch below Kobe. In addition to his elite size, Washington also has elite athleticism and great range from the safety position.
KEEP READING: 5-Star 2026 Safety Jett Washington, Nephew of Late NBA Legend Kobe Bryant, Nears Oregon Commitment
He is a two-sport athlete at Bishop Gorman High School in Nevada, as not surprisingly, he also plays basketball. According to MaxPreps, he only played in three games as a junior, but 247Sports lists that he averaged 13 points per game as a sophomore.
Kobe Bryant had a long-term deal with Nike when he was playing, and the company continues to endorse Bryant’s family even after his passing.
The CEO of Nike, Phil Knight, is an Oregon alumnus and heavily invests in the Ducks’ NIL funding, so while it isn’t public information, it’s fair to assume that Knight probably wanted the Ducks to land Washington more than the average Oregon recruit.
Washington will look to carve out a legacy of his own with the Ducks once he gets on campus in 2026, but first, he must complete his senior year with Bishop Gorman, a Las Vegas-area football powerhouse, where he is poised to have yet another great season.
