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Kobe Bryant’s legacy heads to Eugene, not Los Angeles, in a major 2026 recruiting twist
The USC Trojans came up short in their pursuit of one of the most high-profile prospects in the 2026 recruiting class: five-star defensive back Jett Washington, the nephew of the late NBA icon Kobe Bryant. Washington, who starred at Bishop Gorman in Las Vegas, announced his verbal commitment to Oregon on Thursday, choosing the Ducks over USC and Alabama.
Washington, the son of Kobe’s sister Sharia Washington, had long been a coveted name on the recruiting trail. Ranked as the No. 3 safety and No. 18 overall prospect in the nation by 247Sports, he boasts rare measurables — 6-foot-5, 210 pounds — and positional versatility that will make him a defensive asset at the collegiate level. He’s also the reigning MaxPreps Nevada Player of the Year.
USC Trojans Miss Out on Kobe Bryant’s Nephew as Five-Star DB Jett Washington Commits to Oregon
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“I’ve built a great relationship with [Oregon],” Washington told 247Sports. “When you’re there, you feel the energy. Just being around coach Dan Lanning — he’s a defensive head coach and always involved in the defense — you know you’re going to get development.”
USC was among the final three schools in contention, but after Talanoa Ili’s recent commitment, the Trojans strategically shifted focus away from Washington and fellow DB Davon Benjamin. According to 247Sports’ Steve Wiltfong, USC officially “stepped away” from pursuing the pair, prioritizing other prospects as their 2026 class strategy takes shape.
While missing on Washington is a notable blow given his talent and local ties — and his connection to L.A. royalty — the Trojans appear to be betting on long-term development and possible mid-season flips.
For Oregon, it’s a recruiting triumph. Washington marks the Ducks’ first five-star commit in the 2026 cycle and their ninth pledge overall, bumping them to No. 7 nationally and No. 3 in the Big Ten recruiting rankings.
In the end, Oregon didn’t just land a top-tier prospect — they claimed a piece of Los Angeles legacy in the process.
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Veteran Center Rejected Knicks Offer
The New York Knicks imagine themselves as a championship contender, and those dreams looked like they may be rapidly approaching reality in last season's run to the Eastern Conference Finals. They've spent much of this offseason patching holes in their roster, requiring significantly more firepower from their bench to scare their opponents with a well-rounded rotation that they lacked in 2024-25. They're not looking to burst at the seams with reserve bucket-getters, but have done plenty to consolidate their backup guards and bigs with a summer of moves that's still continuing. Though their most recent on-court developments have provided the Knicks' hopes with real wind behind their sails, those wishes to bolster the frontcourt aren't new. New York reportedly tried to woo a veteran center in Daniel Theis over to last season's situation, but failed to seal the deal. Theis, now playing for AS Monaco, could have joined the Knicks mid-season last year before opting for a European return, according to BasketNews.com. He spent the first leg of the 2024-25 campaign with the New Orleans Pelicans, the sixth team that the 33-year-old's suited up for in the last five seasons. New York's offer gave Theis yet another chance to fill in as a role-playing big on another contender, but he chose to bet on himself. "I could have gone to the Knicks, for example, but it was more for insurance that Mitchell Robinson came back from a long injury," Theis said on a recent Euro Insiders podcast. "And then I talked to Tom Thibodeau and he said, 'Yeah, you will be like insurance in case he can't play and this and that.' It's like what I did with P.J. Tucker. "For me, it was like, 'Okay, if I sit for the rest of the year, what are my chances in the summer?' So if I’m like, 'Okay, I go overseas to Europe and play great, I might have a better chance.' That was my whole intention and thought behind it — just consider Europe and see what it is." Robinson did indeed manage to remain healthy when it counted, seeing the floor in all 18 Knicks playoff games after playing in just 17 during the regular season. His reliability as a defender and rebounder up front would have negated Theis' presence, as he would have spent all but a few garbage time minutes occupying the same seat on the bench that Tucker took in the postseason. Though he would've likely been constrained to a minimum contract that would've expired at season's end alongside other role playing veterans like Landry Shamet, Cameron Payne and Precious Achiuwa, he'd have been a little more playable than some other deep-cut Knicks as a rim-rolling center, and that's the sort of job that New York's looked to fill in the months since. Theis chose his path, and the Knicks stayed young in building a roster that's expected to blow every other 21st century Knicks team out of the water.
King of New York: Pete Alonso breaks major Mets all-time record
Pete Alonso is now the New York Mets' all-time home run king. With his opposite-field, two-run home run in the bottom of the third inning against the Atlanta Braves on Tuesday night, Alonso clubbed the 253rd and 254th home runs of his Mets career, moving him into sole possession of first place on the team's all-time list. He moved two home runs ahead of the previous record-holder, Darryl Strawberry, who hit 252 home runs with the team between the 1983 and 1990 seasons. Here is a look at his record-setting home run. Later in the bottom of the sixth inning, Alonso hit his 254th home run: Along with the all-time Mets home run lead, Alonso is also the Mets' single-season home run leader with 53 home runs during the 2019 season. Strawberry congratulated Alonso on breaking his record: His home runs on Tuesday were his 27th and 28th of the season. It is a big deal for Alonso because there was some doubt this past offseason if he would have a chance to actually set this record. Even though he was close, the uncertainty around his future given his free-agent status created a lot of questions about where he would play. Ultimately, the Mets re-signed him to a two-year, $54 million contract that includes an opt-out clause following the 2025 season. That opt-out will again create some uncertainty about his future, but it is pretty clear Alonso still has a lot of power left in his bat. Whether he returns to the Mets or goes somewhere else, he will remain the franchise's greatest home run hitter for the foreseeable future. He is now on top of the record books for the single season and career.
Bryson DeChambeau divulges Scottie Scheffler's biggest advantage
We all know Scottie Scheffler is the best golfer on the planet by a fairly large margin, but what makes him so much more consistent than other stars in professional golf? Bryson DeChambeau, one of Scheffler's biggest rivals in major championships, thinks he knows the answer. In Tuesday's appearance on "The Pat McAfee Show," DeChambeau detailed how Scheffler dominates the PGA Tour weekly. "He's got the best spin and distance control I've ever seen," DeChambeau said. "He controls the golf ball from a spin perspective so much better than everybody else. Like, if you're 175 yards out, and it's 10 miles [an hour] into the wind, he knows how to control the flight and spin to get that ball to land right next to the hole every time. Probably since Tiger [Woods], he's the best that we've seen." The stats confirm DeChambeau's breakdown. Scheffler has ranked first on the PGA Tour in strokes gained on approach in three straight seasons. He also ranks first in proximity to the hole and greens in regulation percentage over the last four years. Iron play is Scheffler's superpower, but it wasn't always that way. "I played with him in college a bunch, and I've said it before, but he's definitely improved since college for sure," DeChambeau said with a chuckle. "It's impressive to see what he's done, and we're all aspiring to do that. That's something I've gotta get better at. I can hit it farther than him. I can hit it probably straighter than him. I can make just as many putts as him, but, really, it's about my iron play right now and wedges to get a little more consistent." Iron play is the biggest indicator of success in professional golf. If you're giving yourself more birdie chances from close range than anyone in the field, you're going to have the best chance to win by Sunday afternoon. No one is better at hitting specific distances more consistently than Scheffler. Just look at how accurate he is. DeChambeau has the best chance to catch Scheffler as the best player in the world because he's elite off the tee and on the greens, but that won't happen unless he makes a major improvement to his iron game.
Jackson Merrill Reveals How Closely Padres Are Watching Dodgers
In 15 career games against the Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego Padres outfielder Jackson Merrill has a .351 batting average, .377 on-base percentage and .509 slugging percentage. His 20 hits against Los Angeles are more than any team Merrill has played since his 2024 debut. As the Padres try to chase down the Dodgers in the National League West standings, the 22-year-old center fielder has been instrumental in the hunt. The teams are separated by one game through Monday. “Of course, we see it, but we’re playing our own game, not really trying to think about it right now,” Merrill told the San Diego Union-Tribune. “Just play our own game and it’ll come.” It's a boring answer, but it's revealing of the focus that allowed the Padres to trust Merrill with a nine-year, $135 million contract extension that runs through 2034 (with a team option for 2035). The extension, signed in April, kicks in next year. The Padres made Merrill their everyday center fielder as a 21-year-old rookie a year ago. His superlative 2024 season ended with a Silver Slugger Award, a ninth-place finish in National League MVP voting, a place in the All-Star Game in Arlington, Texas, and a runner-up finish for the NL Rookie of the Year Award. Merrill began last year as the Padres' No. 9 hitter, but worked his way up to No. 5 by season's end. This year, he's most frequently found himself batting fourth, behind Manny Machado. Although his batting statistics have slipped (.261/.320/.406 through Monday, a 101 OPS+), he remains a plus defender in center field. Only Fernando Tatis Jr. (4.9), Machado (3.7) and Xander Bogaerts (2.3) have been worth more Wins Above Replacement than Merrill (1.7) through Monday, according to Baseball Reference. After playing the Giants Tuesday and Wednesday in San Francisco, the Padres will enjoy an intrastate travel day Thursday. Friday, they will host the first of three games against the Dodgers with the National League West at stake. The Dodgers have finished first in the National League West each of the last three seasons. The Padres finished second in two of those years (and third in 2023). The act of chasing down the Dodgers has become a ritual at Petco Park. They revived the tradition last October in the National League Division Series. Los Angeles came back from a two-games-to-one deficit in the best-of-five series to advance to the NLCS. The Padres and Dodgers had never met in the postseason before 2020, but now have done so three times in the last five years. Merrill would be forgiven for salivating over a rematch, as many fans are, but he is resisting the temptation to look ahead. Latest Padres News For more Padres news, head over to Padres on SI.
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