VALORANT Pros Unite in Ranked Games
Imagine finishing a day of work and looking forward to playing some ranked matches, only to find yourself facing off against professional VALORANT players. Well, that nightmare became a reality recently, as Sentinels superstar TenZ and his former teammate ShahZaM, along with the core three players of Paper Rex, joined forces in ranked games.
A lot of foreign talent has flown to the United States to compete in VALORANT Champions 2023, which has resulted in high-level ranked games featuring the best talent from both North America and the Pacific region. TenZ, ShahZaM, and the Paper Rex players – Jinggg, f0rsakeN, and something – formed a notable five-stack in these games.
In a tweet that might surprise his fans, Jinggg posted a cowboy emoji, indicating the formidable strength of their five-stack. This is unexpected coming from a player known for their shyness and sense of humor. Those who encountered this stacked team in their high-level ranked games found themselves facing off against a wild combination of top talent from both North America and the Pacific region.
Their first game was tracked through VALORANT Tracker, and it left the Immortal III lobby shocked. Thanks to a one-vs-one clutch from ShahZaM, the first half ended with a 10-2 score in favor of this multi-regional team. The enemy team surrendered as something achieved 17 kills, leading their team to a 13-2 victory. The only player on the enemy team with a positive K/D ratio was 15/10/2, while the rest of the team struggled.
What makes this stack even more interesting are the two North American players, TenZ and ShahZaM. They both find themselves at different crossroads as the 2023/2024 off-season approaches. TenZ has an expiring contract and has the option to re-sign with Sentinels or explore new opportunities. ShahZaM was part of G2’s roster but didn’t make it to Ascension. After G2 released their roster, he became a content creator for the organization. While their reunion in ranked games may remain just that, there is a chance they may end up playing together or against each other in 2024.
Related: All contracts expiring in the VCT 2023 off-season
The Paper Rex players are also making their mark and showing their strength heading into Champions 2023. Something, in particular, continues to impress with his performance, aiming to make a strong international debut. The rest of the squad has proven their capabilities in previous tournaments like Masters Tokyo earlier this year, and now it’s their time to shine. While they currently play on temporary accounts in ranked games alongside popular NA players, they may very well join TenZ and ShahZaM as champions in the near future.
Esports, VALORANT, Champions 2023, ranked games, TenZ, ShahZaM, Paper Rex, North America, Pacific region, professional players, high-level, contracts, G2, Ascension, reunion, international debut, temporary accounts, Masters Tokyo, future champions