Oregon Safety Jett Washington Gets Real on Uncle Kobe Bryant's Legacy

How Oregon Ducks freshman safety Jett Washington is turning being Kobe Bryant's nephew into a blessing early in his career.

June 12, 2002; East Rutherford, NJ; The Lakers Kobe Bryant holds up the Championship trophy. Mandatory Credit: Michael J. Terola/Abury Park Press-USA TODAY NETWORK | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

The No. 15 Oregon Ducks are filled with young talent that will have a massive impact on the program’s future under coach Dan Lanning. Among those young, talented pieces is freshman safety Jett Washington. 

A 6-5, 217-pound five-star recruit from Las Vegas, Nevada, Washington has the potential to become a star in the Ducks' secondary as they adjust to a new defensive coordinator, Chris Hampton. 

Sep 18, 2026; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Oregon Ducks defensive back Jett Washington (24) celebrates after intercepting a pass during the second half against the Portland State Vikings at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Washington is also the nephew of former Los Angeles Lakers star and five-time NBA champion Kobe Bryant, which obviously doesn’t go unnoticed. With being the nephew of one of the all-time greats, Washington has been using that as a blessing in his first year with the Ducks. 

Turning Being Nephew Of Kobe Bryant Into a Blessing

“I’m getting better with it. It kind of started when I was in high school, but I try not to look at it as a bad thing, more of a blessing. People are looking for the things that my uncle did. I’m just trying to carry on that legacy and just make him proud.”

Having the Mamba Mentality

“To me, that means being the best possible version of yourself every day and then not letting anything get in your way of that. So all the distractions and whatnot, just putting that to the side and being focused and driven on what you want to do.”

Seeing Murals Of His Uncle

Jan 26, 2021; Los Angeles, California, USA; Fans gather at a mural of Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna painted on the wall of Hardcore Fitness Bootcamp gym in downtown Los Angeles. Bryant and his daughter and seven other persons died in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, Calif. on Jan. 26, 2020. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports | USA TODAY Sports

“I would just say motivation, but just seeing that is just special. Every time I'm in Cali, just something about the air there. I just know my uncle is watching over me. But just a blessing, just enjoying it, taking it all in. It was definitely a surreal moment.”

Emotions After Portland State Game

Sep 18, 2026; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Oregon Ducks defensive back Jett Washington (24) intercepts a pass during the second half against the Portland State Vikings at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

“My emotions were really high at that moment, but really, just kind of like I said before, just a blessing, you know, getting the opportunity and being on that field, making plays, is something that you dream of when you're a kid. And then to see that finally happen, it was just accumulation- a lot of hard work and dedication.”

Offseason Process

“I would say really just coming in with a growth mindset and knowing that there's a lot of places that I need to improve in, and then following the older guys that's been here and that kind of understand the system, and then getting in the playbook, spending extra time with coaches and really just not taking a backseat necessarily, but just understanding that there's room for me to grow in my game.”

What Made Him Decide to Play For Oregon

Oregon head coach Dan Lanning walks the sideline as the Oregon Ducks face the USC Trojans on Sept. 26, 2026, at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, California. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

“First, the coaching staff. Coach Lanning, his history as a coach, a defensive head coach. On all my visits up here, he was a great guy. And just seeing what he was building, that was something that I knew I wanted to be a part of and help build.”

How His Size Gives Him An Advantage

“You don't see it that much. So just being able to, you know, you're bigger than a lot of guys and just being able to play multiple positions and go against different guys, tight ends, guard those bigger tight ends, and then making sure I stay fluid to be able to get my hands on, you know, smaller receivers and whatnot."

Why Safety Position Fits Him Best

“Obviously, in high school, I got moved to safety. And at first, you know, I didn't like it. And then I started to see the plays and the different things I could do at safety. And I really started to enjoy that. And I kind of saw a future there, just, being a ball hog, you know, coming out and making tackles.” 

“It was something that, you know, it became fun to me. And I was like, okay, I could really do this. And then I just kind of took off from there.”

Who He Models His Game After

“There's a couple of guys in the league. I would say Derwin James, Nicky Minwari, and Kyle Hamilton. Those are some of the main guys I watch, kind of bigger safeties that do a lot of different things, line up in a lot of different places, and play the game really well.”

Players He’s Grown Closest With

“Brandon Finney and Koi Perich, those are two guys that have had a lot of success in college football. So, just seeing the way they work, I remember the first day of my workout, just seeing how hard B-Finn goes every day.”

“That was just something that I was like,  okay, I got to step up because of the season and the college careers they've had; they've had a lot of success. So just being able to be a sponge off of them.”

Thoughts On 'Origin of Speed' Jerseys

“Right when I see them, I'm already looking forward to putting them on, you know, thinking about what I'm going to wear with it. So it's definitely special. You know, that's one of the perks of coming here: the jersey. It wasn't the first thing I looked at, but, you know, it's the cherry on top.”

Focus On Improvement During Bye Week

Sep 26, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning looks on before a game against the USC Trojans at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

“Being fundamentally sound, the little things. This is a perfect week to go back to the basics and look at the little things that we need to improve on. And then, as a group, just getting connected and just understanding the game, understanding some of our weaknesses, and then building on our strengths.”

Being Pushed As a Recruit

“I think that’s how you become the best. I want to go into challenging situations because if you come out on the other side of that, I feel like I could do anything. So I feel like coming here, playing for Coach Lanning, definitely sets me up for a future and whatever I want to do, and especially going on to the next level. I just feel being around Coach Lanning helps me be a better player and a better person.”

Sign up to our free newsletter and follow us on Facebook, X and Instagram for the latest news.