Overview
- Washington announced the jersey choice on Thursday via an Instagram Story showing an Oregon No. 24 jersey.
- Multiple outlets framed the selection as a tribute to Kobe Bryant, though neither Washington nor Oregon issued a formal explanation.
- Washington is Bryant’s nephew; his mother, Sharia Bryant Washington, is Kobe’s sister, and his father, Jerrod, played at Virginia and was drafted by the Patriots in 1994.
- The Bishop Gorman standout is a nationally ranked defensive back who picked Oregon over Alabama and USC, with 247Sports listing him among the top players in the 2026 class.
- He has worn No. 24 in previous competitions, and the Lakers retired Bryant’s Nos. 8 and 24 in 2017.