Kobe Bryant's nephew, Jett Washington, draws comparisons to $90,000,000 worth MLB HoFer following OT7 stint

Oregon’s 2026 recruiting class hasn’t exactly stood out so far, but landing five-star safety Jett Washington on June 19 is easily one of Dan Lanning’s most significant victories on the trail. Washington, the nephew of the late NBA icon Kobe Bryant, also put on a stellar performance during Day 2 of the OT7 Finals 7-on-7 tournament on Saturday.

Facing off against nearly 100 elite prospects at St. Thomas Aquinas, Washington earned 247Sports’ “Alpha Dog” honors after snagging multiple interceptions. 247Sports analyst Brandon Huffman even likened Washington’s impact on the field to watching baseball Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr., who has a net worth of $90 million (per Celebrity Net Worth), dominate center field in his prime.

"The way he breaks on the ball, the way he takes away his entire side of the field, we were talking over the on the sideline, it's kind of like watching Ken Griffey (Jr.) in his prime, patrolling the center field," Huffman said.

"Jet looks like a million bucks out there, but he plays like it too," Huffman added. "You know, a lot of guys could go into cruise control, not him. He does his part to take away his side of the field and then some of the way he can cover so much ground back there is pretty impressive."

As a junior in the 2024 season, Washington recorded 38 tackles and five interceptions.

Steve Wiltfong of On3 also praised Washington’s showing at OT7, noting how the Las Vegas Bishop Gorman star’s size and range forced quarterbacks to adjust. He disrupted passing lanes, came up with a pick on a Hail Mary and even had two other interceptions nullified by penalties elsewhere on the field.

Jett Washington is the No. 3 safety in the 2026 class, according to the On3 Industry Rankings. Like his late uncle Kobe, Washington is a phenomenal basketball player as well and led the Bishop Gorman Gaels to a Nevada 5A state title last season.

Jett Washington raves about Dan Lanning following his commitment

A week ago, Jett Washington committed to Dan Lanning's Oregon over Alabama, USC, Ohio State and Texas A&M.

“Coach Lanning is a great coach and Oregon is a top program,” Washington told On3 following his commitment. “I love the fit and I know Oregon will develop me and set me up.”

In an earlier conversation with ScoopDuck, Washington spoke highly of Lanning’s track record:

“Since Dan Lanning’s got there every single year they’ve had more draft picks and just a better record every single year. The fact they’re trending in the right direction.”

Jett Washington is the second safety in Oregon’s 2026 recruiting class, as he joins four-star prospect Xavier Lherisse. The Ducks have 10 committed players in the cycle.