Jett Washington sees Kobe Bryant's legacy as 'blessing,' not burden

Zachary Neel, Ducks WireThu, October 1, 2026 at 2:27 PM UTC

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When he set foot on the University of Oregon campus earlier this year, Jett Washington was already well known in Eugene. Hell, he was already well-known in college football circles.

It wasn't because he plays the safety position at a whopping 6-foot-5, 217 pounds, or because he's a 5-star athlete, rated as the 23rd-best player in the 2026 class. It wasn't his All-American status at Bishop Gorman High School or the fact that many analysts gave him Round 1 NFL draft upside.

It was because of his lineage.

"Did you know that Jett Washington is Kobe Bryant's nephew?"

That's a question that has followed, and will continue to follow Washington throughout this early stage of his career. Much like Tez Johnson was constantly referred to as "Bo Nix's brother" by game-day commentators, or Bryce Boettcher was labeled a two-sport athlete at every turn, Washington will also have a label attached to him before people ever get to know his game.

Washington's mother, Sharia Bryant Washington, was the eldest sister of Kobe Bean Bryant, one of the greatest players in Los Angeles Lakers history and among basketball’s most recognizable cultural icons, even beyond his untimely death in 2020.

For some, that tie may be a burden; something they constantly feel the pressure to live up to. Washington has made an effort to see it as a blessing instead.

"I would say that I'm getting better with it," Washington said on Wednesday, his first time speaking to the Oregon media. "You know, it kind of started when I was in high school, but I try not to look at it as a bad thing, more as a blessing. As you know, people are looking at me for the things that my uncle did. I'm just trying to carry on that legacy and just make him proud."

Washington was close with his uncle growing up, and he's said before that his mother used to send Bryant clips of him playing football growing up, which always brought out excitement from No. 24. Now, as Washington works to continue the "Mamba" legacy that his uncle created, he too wears No. 24 with the Ducks, and he's made an impact early on as a freshman.

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In his biggest game so far this year — a Week 3 win over the Portland State Vikings — Washington earned our Ducks Wire Player of the Game award, intercepting two passes and forcing a fumble. He's one of only a handful of players on the Ducks who play on four special teams units, which is incredibly rare for a freshman.

That same mindset shows up in how Washington approaches football, working hard to bring the Mamba Mentality with him every day.

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

At times, though, it's hard. No matter how far Washington goes in football, Kobe Bryant’s name will likely never be far from his own.

When your uncle loomed larger than life, it's something you learn to live with. Other players may find it odd to travel to road games and find pictures of their family member plastered on the side of buildings, gracing downtown Los Angeles in beautiful mosaic murals.

For Washington, those reminders have become a source of comfort.

"Just seeing that is special, you know," Washington said. "Every time we're in Cali, something about the air there — I just know my uncle is watching over me."

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This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Jett Washington sees Kobe Bryant's legacy as 'blessing,' not burden

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