LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Bishop Gorman is no stranger to winning. The Nevada football power regularly rattles off state championships, and is ranked among the best high school football teams in the country.
For one of the Gaels' star players this season, winning is in the genes.
WATCH | Meet Jett Washington
"Be grateful for the foundation he set for me and my family," 5-star safety Jett Washington told Channel 13's Nick Walters. "Just wanting to continue that legacy every single day."
A converted wide receiver standing at 6'5" and starring in both football and basketball, Washington has an uncle you may have heard of — NBA legend Kobe Bryant.
"It's something I just try to embrace, not try to run from," Washington said. "Everybody kind of knows the fact now, so just really wanting to represent that each day... embrace that legacy."
A Las Vegas native now bound for Eugene as an Oregon football commit, the nephew of the 5-time NBA champion is mirroring the 'Mamba mentality' as a rising senior.
"He's super competitive," Gorman head coach Brent Browner said. "You can see he always wants to be great in everything he does. It's a perfect thing to have as a coach."
"Hard work and grit and then just that mentality that nobody's gonna be better than me," Washington said. "That mentality that he brought every single day, every time he stepped on the court, and just being a great human being."
Considered a football factory, Gorman has produced big-name recruits with standout family ties. Washington is the next in line leading a Gaels team that has won the last four 5A state championships.
Nowadays in the NIL era, many touted football prospects choose to specialize. Given basketball runs in the blood, it only made sense for Washington to continue playing hoops in high school.
As a junior, Washington helped lead Gorman to repeats as state champions on the gridiron and on the hardwood.
"That was something I loved ever since I was a young kid," Washington explained. "Why stop it if I could play both for as long as I possibly can? Let's do it because it was a game I enjoyed and grew up watching."
One of the most coveted prospects in the 2026 recruiting class, Washington has offers from schools around the country and is rated by 247Sports as the top recruit in Nevada.
The rangy safety picked off five passes and prides himself on flying across the field, describing himself as "a ball-hawking safety that can play all over the field and make plays at any time."
His future is bright even though his height is unconventional at his defensive back position.
"I like my fit (at safety)," Washington said. "A lot of people say I'm too tall. They're trying to move me around, but I feel like as long as I can move and do my job I see myself as a unique piece that can fit into any defense and play all the positions."
Gorman kicks off their season Friday night at Centennial to begin their chase for a 5A state championship five-peat.
-
Michigan's Sherrone Moore fired, then jailed; police probing alleged assault
Michigan fired football coach Sherrone Moore on Wednesday, saying a university investigation had found evidence of an “inappropriate relationship with a staff member.”
Knights in the Morning: Ben Hutton talks taking on new roles on and off the ice
Defenceman Ben Hutton is stepping up on the ice as a veteran leader, with a goal to win it all in the playoffs, and outside of the rink as a new father.
A's Ballpark takes shape after six months
The Las Vegas Strip is going to have a new skyline soon as the A's new ballpark is on track to finish construction by 2028.
Nonprofit launches $15M sports complex campaign as youth hockey sees growth
With youth hockey participation soaring in Las Vegas, Jake Kielb’s Hockey Foundation has launched a $15 million campaign to build a nonprofit sports complex featuring two ice rinks and a turf field.
