Who is Kobe Bryant's nephew Jett Washington? Meet Dan Lanning's new 5-star recruit for 2026 class

Late NBA legend Kobe Bryant's nephew, Jett Washington, is looking to create his legacy as a football star. The five-star safety currently plays for Bishop Gorman High School. According to 247Sports, Washington is considered the second-best safety in the recruiting class of 2026.

Washington also plays for Bishop Gorman's basketball team. He helped them to back-to-back state championships in the last two years and put up 21 points in last season's title game, making his mark on the court like his uncle did in the NBA.

Jett has been an important part of his high school football team. The five-star safety saw limited time on the field as a freshman. During his sophomore campaign, he tallied a total of 37 tackles and two interceptions. Washington managed to improve on this performance as a junior and tallied 38 total tackles, one forced fumble, and five interceptions.

On Thursday, Kobe Bryant's nephew made his decision regarding his collegiate commitment. Jett Washington had offers from programs like Oregon, USC, and Alabama. However, he decided to finalize his commitment to play for Dan Lanning's team as a part of the recruiting class of 2026.

With his commitment, the Ducks now have nine recruits as a part of the class of 2026. This also includes four-star RB Tradarian Ball.

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Jett Washington shares his true feelings about the Oregon Ducks

Before his commitment, Jett Washington visited Dan Lanning's team three times. While speaking with 247Sports, the safety touched on the relationships he built with the people in Eugene and how he saw himself fit with Dan Lanning's play style.

"I've built a great relationship with them," Washington said. "I went up there for the Ohio State game last season, and it's a place I could see myself at. My relationship with the coaches has been big. When you're there, you feel the energy. It's everywhere inside that building and just being around Coach Dan Lanning, he's a defensive coach and always involved in the defense, so you know you're going to get development.

With the addition of Jett Washington, the Ducks become the 22nd-best recruiting class of the 2026 cycle. They will have to wait one more year before the five-star safety joins them on the field.

However, it looks like the Ducks are not yet done recruiting for the class of 2026. After losing out on Brandon Arrington's commitment, they still have a chance with other five-star prospects like Anthony Jones, Ryder Lyons, and Calvin Russell, to name a few.

Edited by Dipayan Moitra