Dear Hokie Nation, THank You

By Justyn Mutts

[Blacksburg, VA, April 7, 2023]

Dear Hokie Nation:

I came here in 2020. I hadn’t even seen the place until I already had my bags packed. Just a couple of Zoom calls, talking life with Coach Young, and I was on my way. I had laid my cards out on the table. Whatever happens next, happens.

That was one of the best decisions of my life.

Three years later, I’ve seen confetti fall. I’ve seen the Cassell Guard paint my last name on their chests. I’ve seen Hunter Cattoor drop 30 in the Barclays Center. I’ve seen grandmas take pictures with me after a game, then put that same picture on a hoodie. I’ve seen 70,000 people chant with me in Lane Stadium while I was wearing maroon-and-orange overalls. I still can’t believe I wore those overalls. 

We had some special moments, Blacksburg. You took a kid from New Jersey and put me on fatheads, put me on posters, and celebrated me for who I am. You even let me nickname myself (El Niño for President) and ran with it. It’s a bittersweet moment to say goodbye. I’m so excited to see what this next chapter in my life has in store, but I’ll miss those familiar faces and unbreakable bonds.

Whether it was Millville or Roanoke, I always enjoyed getting to know the kids in those areas. We stopped by several classrooms, and I got to know some really special young people at the Boys & Girls Club. To them, I wasn’t Justyn, the basketball player. I was just Justyn. They didn’t care how many points I scored, how many turnovers I had, or why we didn’t win the night before. They just wanted someone to throw a football with and someone to talk to. I’m still young and yearning to learn more, but I hope I passed some wisdom down to them that they can soak in.

One of the most important things I told them (or anyone, for that matter) is the value of getting an education. I’ve been blessed to obtain two master’s degrees while playing the game I love, and that’s something I will never take for granted. It wasn’t easy (shoutout Alise), but we did it.

I’ll also never take the role N.I.L. has played for granted. Through Triumph, I’ve partnered with local businesses and learned how to cultivate my brand. It’s a real blessing to be a part of this N.I.L. generation; I don’t know what the future holds for student-athletes, but I think we’ve got a new group of players who are more conscious of marketing and finance. That’s got to be a good thing.

As a person, I’ve had to grow immensely in Blacksburg. The mental health of athletes gets more buzz than it has in the past, but it still doesn’t make those dark moments any easier. There are nights when your Instagram comments are flooded with negativity, and enough of that will make you believe what they’re saying. At the same time, I’ve learned to compartmentalize all the noise and place my energy where it matters the most. I started meditating, and Blacksburg’s slower pace of life helped me adjust when my mind kept racing.

I won’t have time to truly reflect on my collegiate career until long after I step off the court for the last time. It’s all a blur, and all I have are those mental screenshots to hold onto. I play them through from time to time. Kicking the ball to Grant for an easy three. Seeing a wave of phone flashlights beam up the crowd during warmups. Boarding a private plane. Jumping way too high during Enter Sandman. I’m sure I’ll have more to add to that camera roll as time passes and I can process these last three years.

As I prepare for the next step in my journey, there is one question that lingers about my time as a Hokie: where else but here?

Where else do they dress up in bacon suits and lose their minds after that second missed free throw? Where else do you get a chance to monetize off your brand in a town with so many communal areas to give back and invest in? Where else does your coach eat popcorn on the bench? If you find somewhere like that besides the 540, let me know.

But now, it’s time to pack my bags again. In 2020, I was dealt an incredible hand. It’s time to shuffle the deck again and see where else that bright orange ball can take me. Whatever happens next, happens. However, I have a second home now that I know will always have my back.

When I come back to Cassell down the road, I’ll take a look at that championship banner. I’ll reminisce with some familiar faces. I might try to sneak into the Cassell Guard. I guess I’ll be an oldhead by then. But when this campus thinks about me, I hope I was a person you could relate to – and a good person above all else. If we crossed paths in the classroom, on the street, or at T.O.T.S., I hope it felt like I gave a little back to the community that had opened its arms more times than I can count.

Don’t stop being you, Blacksburg. You showed me how to keep being me.

Sincerely,

Justyn Mutts

“El Niño”