M0nkey M00n plays down 'GOAT' status, Kassio hails rookie 'gem' Dralii

 Considering the calibre of weaponry that Team BDS had on its roster from the start of the season, few penned the pink-and-white French fancies as serious Worlds contenders.

Back in Split One, all eyes were on Vitality to see if the fellow Frenchmen could continue their perfect run at the end of 2023 into the 24 season. Glory stayed surmounted to the top of the Eiffel Tower with Karmine Corp though, who went back-to-back-to-back in Regionals while Gentle Mates swooped with their LAN buff to take home the first Major. 

Team BDS weren't forgotten, but they also weren't considered to be among the pinnacle teams heading into Split Two.

At the halfway mark, fortunes flipped, and the raspberry-kissed badge of BDS was back on the map with two regional wins. Still, at this point, most eyes were diverted across the pond to a dominant G2 Esports, while everyone expected Vitality to hit form at some point and Karmine Corp to shrug off some questionable Regional performances.

But you simply cannot write off Evan "M0nkey M00n" Rogez. Unanimously dubbed the Open-era's best, the man is inevitable.

First, the Esports World Cup fell to BDS' gauntlet, and now, he and BDS are two-time World Champions, donning a second star on the bonnet of their cars.

So, with two rings, two regional Majors, an international Major, and an Esports World Cup title flexing on his infinity gauntlet, is M0nkey M00n now the undisputed greatest of all time?

Well, following their World Championship win, I asked him just what he thought about the claims, and discussed the relationship between Head Coach Andy "Kassio" Landais and rookie "gem" Samy "Dralii".

M0nkey M00n plays down GOAT status after second Worlds win

The adrenaline of the win was still fresh in BDS' veins as they spoke to me after the World Championship win. They sported medals around their neck and thought longingly about getting out of the press room and celebrating their championship with an ice-cold pint (of Coke in Dralii's case, of course).

But they shared high spirits as my Discord rang to slip in some quick-fire questions. First up was M0nkey M00n, and there was only one place to start. "Are you now the GOAT?" was the question posed, albeit in a longer and less direct manner.

"It's a status that people give me. It doesn't affect me personally. It's a team game, Rocket League, so I'm here to win with my team," he said, playing down the fan-proclaimed accolade.

"To be the greatest player of all time, I don't care. As long as I win titles, I'm happy. I don't really care about being called a GOAT or not, because it's all about my team and people around me. Without them - without the fans, without my family, without my friends - I wouldn't be here."

Looking back through the Open Era, and even beforehand, few players have been able to stay as consistently great as MM. Only the likes of Yanis "Alpha54" Champenois, Massimo "Atomic" Franceschi, and Reed "Chicago" Wilen are still putting up top-eight places at LAN who have longer careers than M0nkey M00n.

No one has been as consistent as the Frenchman, though, having made the Grand Finals in every single World Championship post-pandemic after running Season X with an iron fist. "It's all about working a lot," he said, putting down his longevity to sheer hours.

"I work a lot and I try to be as serious as possible on the game. It's all about being consistent, playing a lot, and creating a good environment with my teams. I'm just here to play as much as possible, and to just give it my all." 

Like he said, Rocket League is a team game. While Exotiik's performances all year round deserve praise, one of Team BDS' keys to victory was unlocking Dralii.

Kassio lauds rookie "gem" Dralii

At just 16 years old, Dralii has become the third player in as many years to win Worlds in their rookie season, following in the footsteps of kid prodigy Alexis "zen" Bernier and former BDS superstar Enzo "Seikoo" Grondein.

Having mainly made his name through 1v1 tournaments as a youngster before turning RLCS-eligible last year, the Dralii pickup from BDS was one that raised a lot of eyebrows. There wasn't an abundance of 3v3 success prior to his signing, but Kassio knew that they had a "gem" on their hands, and it would just take a few weeks to get him up to speed with his two exemplary teammates.

"So I discovered Dralii - I knew him a bit from Ranked and he was like quite gifted. But when I got to the team and started working with him, I felt like I had a pure gem to work with," Kassio said. 

"He was like one of the most talented player we could have found and he, as a human, is really cool to work with. Really friendly. He's a great soul, so it's even better to achieve this with him."

While Kassio was giving Dralii his flowers, the young Moroccan/Canadian starlet was rosy-faced. But his embarrassment was masked by the gleam of his gold medal.

"They helped me a lot," he said. "Every day, they are looking after me, it's terrible."

"They are excellent people, and they really helped me win this year."

I was only offered a short time with BDS after the Championship in an online conference, and one question was lost in translation, but the humility across the board was evident.

There's no ego there, it's just a love for the game, a class above in quality and professionalism, and it reaps its rewards.

For me, M0nkey M00n is a cut above Pierre "Turbopolsa" Silfver and Alexandre "Kaydop" Courant, and this BDS team has the most potential to be the first back-to-back champions RLCS has had since Season 2018 with Dralii bursting through the glass ceiling.