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Top 10 Best Players of Valorant Champions 2023 Group Stage

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Top 10 Best Players of Valorant Champions 2023 Group Stage

Here are the 10 best players who shined the brightest during the Valorant Champions 2023 Group Stage

Valorant Champions 2023 group stage treated us to a rollercoaster of moments, including the expected dominance of favorites and the stunning upset of NRG Esports. Amidst this action-packed first week, certain players shone brighter than others through their remarkable skills, paving the way for their team’s success. Now, as we head into the playoffs bracket, our attention turns to the 10 best players who truly stole the show.

Emir “Alfajer” Beder – FNATIC

  • Role: Sentinel
  • VLR Rating: 1.37
  • Average Combat Score (ACS): 269.5
  • Kill-Death Ratio: 1.85
  • Kill/Assist/Survided/Traded: 82%
  • Average Damage Per Round: 176.2
  • Headshot Percentage: 29%

It's hardly a surprise that FNATIC's Alfajer claims the top spot on our roster. This Turkish sensation is in the midst of an extraordinary year. After becoming the highest-rated player in both VCT Masters Tokyo and EMEA League, he tops the chart for the year’s final event as well. The fact that Alfajer is levels above everyone else in terms of stats despite being a Sentinel main speaks volumes of how special he is.

Both of FNATIC’s group-stage matchups were smooth sailing, and it goes without saying that Alfajer played a pivotal role in both encounters, particularly in the one against ZETA Division. The 19-year-old looked near-invincible in the match against the Japanese Squad, ending the series with an unbelievable KDA of 3.18.

Aaron “mindfreak” Leonhart- Paper Rex

  • Role: Controler
  • VLR Rating: 1.29
  • Average Combat Score (ACS): 186.3
  • Kill-Death Ratio: 1.33
  • Kill/Assist/Survided/Traded: 77%
  • Average Damage Per Round: 121.7
  • Headshot Percentage: 25%

Mindfreak has already established himself as one of the best Controller players in the world, and his ongoing performance in this event has only served to enhance his reputation. While the 23-year-old Indonesian may not have put astonishing numbers on the scoreboard, his impact during the games sets him apart from most players on this best players' list.

Paper Rex, like FNATIC, navigated through both of their group stage matchups with ease, except for the 2nd map against EDward Gaming. Setting up the team with his perfect utils on Attack and shutting down any enemy advances to the site on Defense, mindfreak, with his impact frags, was the critical factor of Paper Rex having a successful group stage run.

Alexander “jawgemo” Mor

  • Role: Flex
  • VLR Rating: 1.24
  • Average Combat Score (ACS): 239.5
  • Kill-Death Ratio: 1.24
  • Kill/Assist/Survided/Traded: 72%
  • Average Damage Per Round: 160.2
  • Headshot Percentage: 25%

Jawgemo at Valorant Champions 2023 stage

Image Source: Riot Games

Evil Geniuses’ meteoric ascent to the top has been sensational, and much of this triumph has been attributed to the addition of Demon1 to the roster. While Demon1, true to his moniker, indeed turned out to be a demon on the server, it would be a crime not to recognize Jawgemo's contribution to EG's current prowess. A primarily Controller main, Jawgemo transitions into the duelist role on maps where Raze is played. 

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Regardless of the role, the 24-year-old excels in whatever agent he plays. In all the four maps EG played in Valorant Champions 2023, Jawgemo maintained an impeccable performance. His showing against FPX, where he dropped 40 in two maps, can be rightfully regarded as a masterclass in Controller gameplay.

Felipe “Less” Basso- LOUD

  • Role: Sentinel
  • VLR Rating: 1.19
  • Average Combat Score (ACS): 223.6
  • Kill-Death Ratio: 1.29
  • Kill/Assist/Survided/Traded: 73%
  • Average Damage Per Round: 147.7
  • Headshot Percentage: 26%

LOUD Less is known for his crispy aim. However, his impact stretches far beyond the near-flawless mechanical skills. Playing Viper/Killjoy for LOUD, the 18-year-old teenage prodigy continues to prove himself to be the defensive backbone of the team. 

With aspas slightly underperforming, Less right now is inarguably the best-performing player of LOUD. In the decider matchup of Group D against NAVI, it is thanks to Less that the 2022 Champions winners managed to avoid elimination by barely scraping past their European rivals.

Mehmet “cNed” Yağız İpek- NAVI

  • Role: Duelist
  • VLR Rating: 1.08
  • Average Combat Score (ACS): 220.8
  • Kill-Death Ratio: 1.21
  • Kill/Assist/Survided/Traded: 74%
  • Average Damage Per Round: 143.5
  • Headshot Percentage: 78%

The unexpected underperformance of cNed in the EMEA LCQ left the community in a state of astonishment, given his otherwise remarkable consistency. As a player who has carved out a reputation as one of the world's best duelists, this dip in form raised significant concerns for NAVI as they entered Champions 2023. 

Following the triumph over Team Liquid in the opening matchup, any uncertainties surrounding cNed's performance were swiftly dispelled as the 21-year-old played an instrumental role in NAVI's resounding 2-0 victory. Yet, cNed's return to form was not enough for NAVI to qualify for the playoffs. Despite the determined efforts of the Turkish duelist, the Ukrainian org got eliminated, succumbing to defeats in their subsequent encounters against DRX and LOUD.

Zheng “ZmjjKK” Yongkang- EDward Gaming

  • Role: Duelist
  • VLR Rating: 1.11
  • Average Combat Score (ACS): 226.4
  • Kill-Death Ratio: 1.1
  • Kill/Assist/Survided/Traded: 74%
  • Average Damage Per Round: 150.1
  • Headshot Percentage: 17%

In the words of the Valorant Gen-Z, ZmjjKK is HIM. Popularly known as KangKang among the community, this duelist extraordinaire from EDG has experienced an astronomical ascent to stardom thanks to his team's Cinderella run at Masters Tokyo. This time, in Valorant Champions 2023, EDward Gaming is once again charting an impressive trajectory, beating the Giants and KRU Esports to qualify for the playoffs, with ZmjjKK leading his team from the front.

Goo “Rb” Sang-Min- DRX

  • Role: Duelist
  • VLR Rating: 1.02
  • Average Combat Score (ACS): 196.8
  • Kill-Death Ratio: 1.08
  • Kill/Assist/Survided/Traded: 78%
  • Average Damage Per Round: 131.5
  • Headshot Percentage: 24%
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Distinguishing the most impactful player from a team like DRX, where reliance on coordinated team-play far outweighs individual brilliance, presents a considerable challenge. Still, if we were to pick one for Champions 2023, we would have to opt for Rb. This choice isn't rooted in any ridiculous combat score or KDA, as seen with some others on the list. 

What truly set rb apart during the group stage was his remarkable knack for clutching rounds for his team. His eight clutches, that too against juggernauts like LOUD and NAVI, were the key factor behind DRX’s qualification to the playoffs.

Wang “Whzy” Hao Zhe- Bilibili Gaming

  • Role: Duelist
  • VLR Rating: 1.17
  • Average Combat Score (ACS): 275.3
  • Kill-Death Ratio: 1.27
  • Kill/Assist/Survided/Traded: 73%
  • Average Damage Per Round: 171.3
  • Headshot Percentage: 17%

If you held the notion that EDG stood alone as the top-tier Chinese team or that KangKang was the sole extraordinary duelist from China, both assumptions would prove incorrect. Bilibili Gaming have taken the Valorant world by storm as they qualified for the playoffs in their first-ever international appearance over prominent teams like NRG Esports and ZETA Division. 

Whzy has turned out to be the bane of NRG. In two of the BO3s they played against each other, the 20-year-old wreaked havoc on the server, as evidenced by his over 300 ACS in all four maps.

Furkan “MrFallin” Yeğen- FUT Esports

  • Role: Flex
  • VLR Rating: 1.23
  • Average Combat Score (ACS): 212.3
  • Kill-Death Ratio: 1.32
  • Kill/Assist/Survided/Traded: 76%
  • Average Damage Per Round: 139.9
  • Headshot Percentage: 23%

Amidst the ongoing debates within the community about whether EMEA is a one-team region, FUT Esports securing a playoffs spot meant a lot for the EMEA fans. Spearheading FUT Esports in this successful journey is their in-game-leader, MrFallin. 

The only IGL on this list, the 22-year-old Turk, had a consistent performance throughout the event. Yet, he saved the best for the last and most important series. In the Decider game of the group stage against T1, MrFallin almost single-handedly won his team the BO3, boasting an astounding personal KDA of 2.6.

Victor “Victor” Wong- NRG Esports

  • Role: Flex
  • VLR Rating: 1.11
  • Average Combat Score (ACS): 229.4
  • Kill-Death Ratio: 1.07
  • Kill/Assist/Survided/Traded: 76%
  • Average Damage Per Round: 147.7
  • Headshot Percentage: 26%

NRG Esports had a surprising early exit from Valorant Champions 2023. While it's challenging to pinpoint blame on a sole player for the unfortunate outcome, one certainty remains: Victor is exempt from reproach. Playing his usual flex role, the 24-year-old American did everything in his capacity to take his team to playoffs. In the elimination game against Bilibili Gaming, he was the only player in the squad who seemed to be able to cope with the opponent’s unorthodox playstyle. 

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