Kobe Bryant's nephew announces new jersey number at Oregon

Jett Washington has carried a familiar introduction throughout much of his football career. The nephew of Kobe Bryant is now the Oregon newcomer and honoring that connection in a visible way.

Washington, a former five-star recruit from Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas, will wear No. 24 for the Ducks this season, a tribute to his late uncle, the Los Angeles Lakers legend who wore the same number during the second half of his Hall of Fame career.

The jersey choice is a meaningful one for Washington, the son of Sharia Bryant Washington who's Kobe's sister and a former Division I volleyball player at Temple.

Bryant died in a helicopter crash in 2020 along with his daughter, Gianna, and seven others.

Washington revealed the number this week through an Instagram story as Oregon prepares for Spring Ball practices. 

Oregon freshman DB Jett Washington honors his late uncle, Kobe Bryant, by wearing No. 24 for the Ducks 🫶 🦆 pic.twitter.com/5Fu6od6qqe

A 6-foot-5 defensive back with elite range, Washington was rated the No. 1 safety and No. 23 overall player in the 2026 recruiting class by 247Sports. He chose Oregon over fellow finalists Alabama and USC.

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Washington’s rise at Bishop Gorman was rapid. Once viewed as a versatile two-way athlete, he eventually focused on the defensive side of the ball and became one of the nation’s most coveted prospects. The Bryant connection has followed him along the way. Now in Eugene, Washington will carry another reminder of that legacy.

By wearing No. 24, the Ducks' blue-chip hopes to channel the competitive mindset that defined Bryant’s career. The famed “Mamba mentality” that continues to influence athletes across sports.

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