"Hope he has the mamba mentality": CFB fans exhilarated by Kobe Bryant's nephew announcing his Oregon commitment

Fans reacted as Jett Washington, the nephew of late LA Lakers star Kobe Bryant, Jett Washington, announced his commitment to Oregon. Unlike the NBA legend, Washington pursued his passion for football rather than basketball, playing safety for Bishop Gorman High School.

On Thursday, Jett Washington reportedly commited to play for the Oregon Ducks as a part of the recruiting class of 2026. Rivalsdotcom shared a post dedicated to Washington's commitment to Dan Lanning's team.

It showcased snippets of Washington posing with the Oregon coach while also posing in the team's jersey. The four-star safety also posed in front of the Oregon Athletics logo.

Fans shared their thoughts and reactions to Jett Washington's commitment.

"I hope he has the mamba mentality," one commented.

"Welcome home!!! Uncle would of been proud of ya," another said.

"Kobe taught him well I see," one wrote.

"He looks like Kobe too," another said.

"Natty comin," one commented.

Jett Washington is in his senior year at Bishop Gorman High School. As a junior, the 6-foot-6, 190-pound safety recorded 38 total tackles, two pass breakups, one forced fumble and five interceptions.

Apart from the Ducks, the four-star safety also had offers from the USC Trojans and the Alabama Crimson Tide. With his addition to the team, Dan Lanning has nine commitments in the 2026 recruiting class.

Dan Lanning's Oregon misses out on five-star cornerback's commitment

While they secured Jett Washington's commitment, the Ducks missed out on acquiring five-star cornerback Brandon Arrington. On Thursday, he announced that he will make his commitment decision on June 19.

However, On3's Hayes Fawcett announced that Arrington ditched Dan Lanning's team to commit to the Texas A&M Aggies.

"BREAKING: Five-star CB Brandon Arrington has Committed to Texas A&M, he tell me for @on3recruits The No.1 CB in the '26 Class chose the Aggies over Oregon," Fawcett wrote in a tweet.

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Despite the loss of the five-star cornerback, Dan Lanning's team still has a strong 2026 recruiting class. After winning the Big 10 in 2024, he will look forward to seeking redemption and competing for the national championship this upcoming season.

About the author

Priyam is a College Sports content executive at Sportskeeda with a master's in Advertising and Marketing Management and over two years of experience as a writer. When it comes to reporting, Priyam believes doing a technical deep dive is one of his biggest strengths and he loves to dissect plays on the field and factor out the strengths/weaknesses of players.

A fan of the Alabama Crimson Tide football team, Priyam sees Nick Saban as the greatest coach of all time. He is also rooting for Alabama quarterback Jalen Milore after following his progress over the years. The Michigan Wolverines football team is another of his favorite programs and it will be interesting to see how both these teams perform in new coaching eras.

When he’s not reporting, Priyam is usually at the gym or indulging in music. He has been a guitarist and a drummer for the past 17 years and finds his time of peace when playing music.

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Edited by Bhargav