Esports have become a new obsession for many. For fans of esports, their players are the real driving force. So it makes sense for fans to look for the top minority esports players.
The Olympics of Ancient Greece, first held in 776 BC, were a series of athletic competitions that promoted cultural exchange and fostered international cooperation in the name of Zeus. It ended in the year 393 AD when Theodosius I banned the Olympics in order to promote Christianity.
The Olympics of today began in 1896, and followed its predecessor in showcasing athletic excellence and promoting cultural exchange. As the age of technology reaches its height, a new type of sporting competition has also hit the realms of human civilization: ESPORTS.
Much like the Olympics of both Ancient Greece and today, esports has emerged as a gathering point for the finest achievers across all nations and ethnic groups, and has continued to be a catalyst for international cooperation. It takes both the thrilling nature of competing in a stadium and the accessibility of the digital realm and combines them into a competition that anyone can enjoy and succeed in. Esports competitions span across various games like League of Legends, Valorant, and Strinova, and connect a multitude of players, many of which are minority gamers.
This list of 5 gamers includes some of the best in esports. Here are some of the top minority esports players you should be following.
Minority Esports Players You Should Know
Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok
The utterance of the name Faker strikes fear within any opponent unfortunate enough to compete against him. Also known as the Unkillable Demon King, Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok is a Korean esports champion who plays League of Legends for T1. At the age of only 16, Faker became the top ranked League of Legends player in South Korea and joined SK Telecom T1 as their rookie mid laner where he would face off against Ambition, one of the top three mid laners in Korea, in his debut game. Many expected Ambition to crumble Faker as he did to many before him, but the result of that game was an utter bloodbath for Ambition.
At his present age of 28, Faker is a ten time LCK Champion, two time MSI Champion, and four time World Champion, feats that are not only almost impossible to achieve in League of Legends, but also never heard of in the grand scheme of esports. Not only is Faker the face of League of Legends, but he is also the most prominent figure in the entire esports scene.
“I am not human, I am a robot programmed to play mid perfectly.” – Faker.
Tyson “TenZ” Ngo
The name TenZ transcends all the realms of esports. A superstar who has garnered over 4.3 million followers on Twitch, Tyson “TenZ” Ngo is a Vietnamese Valorant streamer and two time world champion playing for Sentinels. Considered to be the best Valorant duelist to have ever touched the game, TenZ began his career at the age of 18 playing CS:GO for Cloud9. Although his skills as a CS:GO pro were inhuman-like, his career did not quite take off until the release of Valorant.
The novelty of being a game made by Riot, the creators behind League of Legends, combined with the trendy Tactical Shooter genre made Valorant the center of attention for gamers all over the world. And at that centerstage sat TenZ now with Sentinels, who despite transferring to another game, retained all his robotic mechanics. His aggressive playstyle, his snappy aim, and his calculated movements combined to form an unstoppable force who dominated Valorant and won its first ever international championship at VALORANT Masters: Reykjavík.
Although now retired from Valorant esports, TenZ continues to show his insane entry skills on his Twitch livestreams, and is still an incredibly influential figure in the Valorant esports scene.
“You will play better if you play to win instead of playing to not lose.” – TenZ
Ivan “Kariyu” Lei
A master at creating the wildest ideas in the esports scene, Ivan “Kariyu” Lei is an Asian American streamer and content creator who plays an assortment of games like Osu!, Valorant, Marvel Rivals, and Strinova. As an Osu! pro, Kariyu currently ranks #1506 globally and #304 in the United States, rankings that are not to be taken lightly. His concentration, his speed, and his ability to keep track of all the hit circles in stress enticing Osu! competitions has audiences gasping in awe as they struggle to keep up with Kariyu’s moves.
Outside of the competitive scene, Kariyu has created a series where he would climb up to Radiant, the highest rank in Valorant, solely using a drawing tablet to aim, a strategy unheard of in any shooter games. But this strategy has consistently worked in favor of him. With years of experience using a drawing tablet for Osu!, Kariyu has made both his opponents terrified of his skills, and has his teammates rushing to buy their own drawing tablets to match the results of his plays.
More recently, Kariyu has started to host his own tournaments for a newly released game that he is overwhelmingly passionate for: Strinova. As an official partner of Strinova, Kariyu has made it his goal to ensure that Strinova thrives in the community. He has hosted $5,000 tournament cups, he has invited Valorant champions to stream with, and he has documented his own experiences partaking in an eye watering $10,000 tournament.
As a fellow New Yorker, Kariyu has represented the city proudly, and keeps the esports community of the city alive and vibrant.
“I made the name Kariyu to sound like carry you.” – Kariyu
Zaqueri “Aphromoo” Black
Zaqueri “Aphromoo” Black is a Black American League of Legends champion with over 737k followers on Twitch. He is also one of the most respected and beloved esports pros. Starting his career in 2011 with CLG, Aphromoo has made numerous great contributions to the North American League of Legends scene, including being the only Black player to compete in LCS.
In the early days of competitive League of Legends, CLG was seen as sort of a Pandora’s box with moves that not only confused the enemy, but also sometimes even themselves. They would win the hearts of fans all over the country by qualifying for a higher league, but quickly lose it all when they forget to apply for a visa to attend that game.
Aphromoo managed to turn the team around from a pile of trash to a pot of gold. Though not the flashiest of all players, Aphromoo is one of the most thoughtful, with his leadership skills being the pillar of CLG. As a support player, Aphromoo has not only helped his team gain momentum in dire situations, but has also united his team with coordinating plays so spectacular that they would go on to win numerous top finishes in LCS, a feat that fans previously could not imagine CLG achieving. Although now retired from the competitive scene, Aphromoo continues to mentor aspiring players.
“The #1 focus for supports is making sure everyone follows the game plan.” – Aphromoo
Wang “Jinggg” Jie
Known as the Raze god, Wang “Jinggg” Jie is a brilliant Valorant player from Singapore who plays for Paper Rex. Starting his career in CSGO, Jinggg was an exceptionally good player with hyper instincts and mechanical aim who gained the recognition of many worldwide. After Valorant’s release, Jinggg switched over, keeping his skills honed and his popularity sky high.
Like his nickname suggests, Jinggg is a Raze main, and the best in his class. He consistently top frags in crucial situations and his satchel plays leave the opposing team clouded with confusion as they struggle to track him down. These strong plays combined with his machine-like aim allowed Paper Rex to achieve 2nd in the VALORANT Champions 2023, securing the prize of $400,000. Jinggg continues to demonstrate his flashing skills in tournaments, and is currently streaming on Twitch with over 685K followers.
“2-0 T1 see you all in grand finals.” – Jinggg
Image Credit: Yan Krukau
