Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG – Guard Jaden Schutt is a prime example of relentless passion. After experiencing multiple injuries in 2023, the worst being a torn meniscus in the fall, the Yorkville, Illinois native has battled for his spot on the hardwood. It’s taken lengthy rehab sessions and an exorbitant amount of patience to step on the court after a nearly two-year absence. Yet, after entering the transfer portal in early 2024 and landing in Blacksburg, Schutt’s new chapter has begun. Through 11 games this season, it’s obvious that it was well worth the wait.
Schutt began his collegiate basketball career in Durham, N.C., at Duke University. When Schutt first arrived, the program was in a state of change after the recent retirement of historic head coach Mike Krzyzewski in 2022. In 14 games with the Blue Devils, the then-freshman would see minutes in Cameron Indoor as a pure shooting guard, going 7 for 20 (35%) from beyond the arc. He would tally his first career basket in just his second game with the team, a 3-pointer in a 46-point blowout against USC Upstate on Nov. 11, 2022.
The rest of Schutt’s freshman season would be summarized by similar performances. Showings against UMES on Dec. 10, 2022, (9 points, 3/3 3PM) and at Syracuse on Feb. 18, 2023, (3 points, 2 rebounds) highlighted the shooting talent the guard offers, finding a specific niche in quick movement and catch-and-shoot triples.
During a practice in late 2023, Schutt suffered a torn meniscus as his sophomore year was just beginning. “Injuries happen, but this one was pretty rough,” said Schutt in 599 Days. The feature, which was written by the guard himself, details the mental and physical recovery it takes to bounce back from a knee injury of that magnitude.
“I didn’t know what to expect or where I was going to go from there,” Schutt wrote. “But I was determined to tackle the rehab process and get back on the court.”
The guard would undergo surgery on his left knee in early 2024 and enter the transfer portal soon after. When the Hokies came calling, Schutt answered. Even with a cast on his leg and hand, as Schutt recalls in 599 Days, head coach Mike Young saw the potential. “I had no doubt in my mind that I wanted to be in Blacksburg,” Schutt penned. “I’m just thankful Virginia Tech felt the same way.”
It would take, as Schutt details, 599 days (March 2023 – Nov. 2024) before he saw game action after completing a full recovery from left knee surgery. Suiting up on Nov. 4 in the home opener against Delaware State, the guard was truly thankful for it all: “Having basketball taken away in an instant makes you understand what a privilege it is to be out there on the court.”