The Chronicle Profiles Jaden Schutt

The Chronicle’s latest player profile is of freshman Jaden Schutt.

A native of Illinois, like his coach Jon Scheyer, Schutt’s last name is pronounced Shoot, which is appropriate because that’s what he does best.

Here’s part of what Mackenzie Sheehy’s take on young Schutt: “Schutt’s talents can be derived to one simple conclusion: he can shoot, and he can shoot well. Known for his stellar ability from long-range, the freshman is just as capable of driving to the hoop or moving inside the 3-point line for mid-range jumpers. His multifaceted capabilities on offense extend beyond his individual shots, as he can put the ball on the court and create opportunities for others with his off-ball movement that stretches the defense.“

But Sheehy doesn’t think he’ll make the rotation.

Well, maybe, maybe not.

He has a few things working against him. First, he’s stepping up several levels as his small Christian high school to ACC competition.

And second, as Sheehy rightly notes, there’s a lot of competition for minutes in the backcourt.

However, what people generally either miss or aren’t aware of is how unusually focused Schutt is. It’s kind of a secret weapon. A lot of kids have talent. Relatively few have the level of maturity and discipline Schutt appears to have. You can't increase your talent; you can only maximize it.

Schutt is not the most talented guy on the roster, but we get the feeling that, as much as any of his teammates, he’ll maximize his.

In other words, don’t be surprised if he’s a surprise, and possibly a hard-ass too.