Feb. 11, 2026, 5:13 a.m. ET
The Washington family has given the Christian Academy boys basketball program plenty of thrills over the past few years, and the youngest of the siblings is looking to finish the run with a bang this season.
Jayden “J.J.” Washington, a 6-foot-2 senior point guard, was averaging 18.6 points and 2.6 rebounds for a Centurions team that was 17-6 through Monday, Feb. 9.
In three seasons at CAL, Washington has scored 1,224 points.
“One of the best scorers I’ve coached in my career,” first-year CAL coach Tim Riley said. “He has a great change of pace in his game. His midrange and 3 is really, really good. He’s a shot maker. There aren’t a lot of guys like that. A lot of guys are shooters, but they’re not shot makers.”
Washington comes from a basketball family.
His father, George, has been an assistant women’s basketball coach at Texas and Dayton and now serves an assistant at CAL. His mother, Jackie, also played basketball, and his sister, Lashaan, plays professionally in the Bahamas and Israel.
Jayden’s older brothers, George and Jackson, played at CAL and are members of the basketball team at Florida Gulf Coast University. George joined the FGCU program after playing at Michigan as a freshman and Richmond as a sophomore.
“All I could do to fit in with them was to play hard,” Jayden said of being the youngest sibling. “They were always more skilled than me because I’m younger. They always had something that I didn’t have. I had to make up for that in some way.”
Here’s what Washington had to say during a recent conversation with The Courier Journal:
The Courier Journal: Coming from a basketball family, I’m guessing you had a ball in your hands at a pretty young age?
Washington: As soon as I can remember, maybe 3 or 4. It’s been basically my whole life. My parents played pro, played college. My brothers and my sister. That’s just how I grew up.
The CJ: What about your game sets you apart from your brothers?
Washington: I’m a true point guard. My middle brother is more of a 2 or 3. My oldest brother can play point guard, but he’s more of a combo guard. My whole life, I’ve been a true 1. I’ve taken the role of being a leader on the team, leading by example. That’s a big thing for me. I can’t enforce something if I don’t do it myself.
The CJ: How would you describe your game to someone who’s never seen you play?
Washington: Handling the ball, taking care of the ball, not turning it over, being poised. I want to be the person where, when he has the ball, everybody on the court knows something good is about to happen, a good decision is about to be made. … I’m big on not getting sped up. I know what I’m able to do.
The CJ: You’ve moved around a lot during your life. How has that affected you?
Washington: When I was younger, it was definitely difficult making those connections with friends and the people around you. Building those bonds and then leaving, it was definitely something I struggled with. As I grew older, I saw God’s plan throughout the whole thing. It helped me in my relationship with God, trusting that He has a plan for me to prosper.
The CJ: CAL has never won a Seventh Region title in boys basketball, but is a bit of a dark horse this season. What do you think of the team’s chances?
Washington: Obviously, it’s a tough road being in the Seventh Region, the hardest region, no doubt about it. But we have the skill and the talent. We have a great coach. We just have to put it all together and string a bunch of wins together. We believe in each other.
The CJ: You have offers from Eastern Illinois and Florida Gulf Coast and you’re also hearing from Boston University and Eastern Kentucky. Sum up the recruiting process right now.
Washington: Both of my brothers being at Florida Gulf Coast and them offering me at an early age definitely threw a lot of colleges off of me. They were like, “We’re not going to waste our time. That’s where he’s going.” I think that hurt me. … I’m open to everything. There is a frontrunner, but I’m not set in stone. Whatever place sets my future up the best is where I will end up.
The CJ: What else would you like people to know about you?
Washington: I’m definitely a man with strong faith. Christ is the center, and that’s the reason I do everything, to give Him the glory. People see me and just look at social media and think, “Oh, he’s not humble.” That’s what happens when people get jealous. That’s how life is. I really want people to know why I do what I do. I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for God’s love for us.
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