This article may be futile. I see indicators that this player may be in discussions with a team and is possibly waiting on a contractual obligation at either end of negotiations. It is not my place to spread rumors or try and push the latest leak down your throat so instead I will briefly delineate NEXA as a player.
NEXA has a level of dedication and understanding of the game which is not often seen in CS:GO, let alone a low-tier player. In the past two weeks, as an unsigned player, NEXA has put in over 120 hours. Since he started playing (a nearly insubstantial two years ago) he is approaching 7,000 hours. These numbers are inspiring for players who would like to become a professional, and undoubtedly embarrassing for the many professionals who endeavor a paltry 20 or 30 hours a week.
In those 7,000 hours NEXA has put up some incredible statistics. I’ve included some screenshots below, including his most notable match against Virtus.pro at WESG 2016. Unfortunately the match ended in a loss but NEXA retained his spot as the highest rated player at the event. During an interview at Adria Masters NEXA said that eminent players like TaZ and NEO “were just a new step for me, which I had to cross at some point.”
NEXA’s time on iNation recently came to a silent end. After speaking with him, his role on the team seemed unstable as a support player. In previous lineups his eager and confident play allowed him to be a reliable entry-fragger. This idea of chemistry within a team, including the various roles a player must fit, is crucial to victory and NEXA wants to find that.
To give some perspective, I will make the banal comparison between NEXA and NiKo. It is fact that Kovač is one of the most talented players in the world. It was a standing fan theory that the two would come together with NiKo’s cousin huNter and form the Balkan Blind Faith, a supergroup that could rival tier 1 teams. (I picture the Balkan supergroup allowing Pita to stand in during the last round of a major in a Rudy-esque pity play.) However, I repudiate the claim that they are similar. NiKo has long said to be a combative and staunch teammate, sometimes to the detriment of Mousesports’ leadership. When NEXA discusses CS:GO and his approach to the game, he focuses on the importance of becoming a better team player. He says that “good aim comes with time, it can easily be adjusted but when you know how to think in-game, then you can become someone…”. Counter-strike will always be a team sport and NEXA’s individual application of skills is purely to hone a stronger team dynamic.
The statistics we judge players on are not key to how a player is judged in a team setting. If there is any takeaway from the multiple international and French super-team experiments, is that chemistry and understanding are critical to a winning team. For this reason NEXA stands with few others who have credible promise and immense skill.
