“The best way out is always through.”
On March 29, Paper Rex announced a major shake-up that took the Valorant community by surprise. Wang “Jinggg” Jing Jie, a duelist main, has rejoined the main roster. PRX coach Alecks views this as “the most unexpected thing” that happened to the team. He also had the task of informing Cahya “Monyet” Nugraha, who has been sidelined.
Months ago, Jinggg was declared unavailable for competition due to compulsory military service, a two-year requirement in Singapore. Though Jinggg remained under contract, he didn’t join the team for training or official matches.
However, due to a lifelong medical condition, Jinggg was deemed ineligible for service. As a result, he could return to professional play.
Fans were delighted to see the reunion of the main roster – a team that consistently secured top-three rankings in regional and international VCT tournaments in 2022 and 2023. Nonetheless, these roster changes haven’t been easy for everyone involved. For instance, Patiphan “Cgrs” Posri had to step in for major competitions when Ilya “something” Petrov couldn’t travel due to visa issues.
In this exclusive interview with ONE Esports, Coach Alecks discusses the team’s internal challenges.
While the team was glad to see Jinggg return, they also felt for Monyet who was suddenly without a team. However, Coach Alecks believes that Monyet benefited greatly from competing in Madrid and the overall experience he gained with the team. As a player who excels as both controller and duelist, Alecks sees Monyet as a valuable player with a positive influence and a cheerful disposition.
Ultimately, despite the bittersweet change, the Paper Rex team continues to adapt and is grateful for every experience along the way.
