KOI Supa: “I believe I am the best ADC in the league […] I think Caliste is the second best.”
Ethan Cohen
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This past Monday, KOI finished their second week of the LEC Winter Split without suffering any defeat (3-0). The occasion to talk with the team’s AD Carry, David “Supa” Garcia. In this interview, we discussed the ADCs level in LEC, and his evolution after experiencing his rookie year and Worlds. But also his thoughts on his idol, and his personal/team ambitions in 2025.
Ethan: First, GG for the game and the week overall, I wanted to know how is the team feeling right now. Because last year you went all the way to the final for this same split – Winter.
And back then, did you feel that you had as much confidence as you have now as a team?
Supa: Talking as a team is pretty hard in the end, because like everyone is feeling different, probably someone feels another way. But I think overall, like when we’re in a good mood – and it is what made us reach the final last year in Winter – like in general, everyone performs better. So I think we’re having high momentum as we had in the winter last year. So I guess Winter is a really good season for this team. So I think we are having the right momentum.
I think because we are emotional players, it can either go really good or really bad. And in this case, it’s going really well.
And you, how do you feel, do you feel that you improved more than ever with your first year in the LEC?
Supa: Yeah, obviously playing LEC is way, way different than playing in all my previous years because in the end, you play into way better people every day. So it’s a big change. You have more pressure you need to be, at your 100% every day. So yeah, individually I improve a lot, but I think like the big change was mentally last year.
Ethan: You also got to play in your first international event, right? And your botlane made a strong impression there actually.
Photo Credit: Colin Young-Wolff/Riot Games
How did you live your first experience on the international stage?
Supa: It was like a dream moment because I’m playing into the people I used to watch a lot, the people that I think are the best in the world. So my first reaction is: “Wow, this is a completely different game”. The second probably is like, “I love it”. The third one is I started doubting myself. And the fourth one is like “I love it” *laugh*. So I think it was crazy and I want to play international again.
In another world, I wish I could go to compete in Korea or China. But I think it’s really hard due to the language barrier.
Ethan: And you said you got to play against the best players in the world. I know that your idol is Viper (Park Do-hyeon), right? I know you couldn’t play against him in official…
Did you manage to play against Viper in scrims?
Supa: No, my my coaching staff full baited me one day, they told me we are scrimming Hanwha Life. I’m so happy and then I join the lobby and it’s Gen.G. It’s Gen.G, right. So it’s still crazy, but I got so sad… No sadly I couldn’t play into Viper either, soloqueue either anything. So I guess it needs to be for 2025.
For you, what makes him so special? Like what is the most inspirational thing he he brings to the game.
Supa: I think he’s the best ADC at getting an advantage for himself. I think he’s like really good forcing the enemies to do mistakes, and to like taking over the game. I think he’s the most efficient carry in the game now for my role. So I love this, I love people that are proactive, I love people that are smart. I will say he is the new generation after Deft (Kim Hyuk-kyu) and all these people.I think from 2021 he’s like the new generation’s GOAT of ADCs. So I love him. I think he’s keeping the level and getting better every year. So he is the guy that I need to go over at internationals. Overall, if I need to define him, I think he’s really smart.
Ethan: Because I know some players say they don’t mind. But as an AD carry, maybe you have another opinion and also maybe you just have your personal opinion about it. Because you can’t skill check in lane, which is I, can imagine a bit frustrating, right?
Supa: I have two opinions. First is a bit sad that there is no laning phase at all right now in the game. Even if you don’t lane swap, you need to fight for Kevins (Grubs) and swap anyway. And the second I think it’s really good for the people that study the game and are really smart about rotations, position, fights… I’m the kind of player that, I really like to play the mind game or the chess game. How to position, rotations, thinking how to win the game. So I think the swap games is giving me advantage. I think at the international, they do it way, way, way better.
Photo Credit: Wojciech Wandzel/Riot Games
The teams in LEC, we are like so f*cking bad at doing the lane swaps. And I think we need to improve because if we go international with these and they don’t nerf it, we will have problems. So my opinion, I will say I like it because I think we are the best team right now in the LEC when it comes to lane swaps.
Ethan: Yeah, that’s also why I asked, because I feel like KOI is doing it really well. I have to ask you about the LEC ADCs right now because, a lot of movement, right. Caliste coming in, Upset finding a good team again, Noah, you, Hans Sama and actually, G2 not performing as well as they did last year…
How do you feel about the LEC ADCs right now? And could you rank your top five?
Supa: I think that level of ADCs is going way better than last year. I think individually we’re improving. Problem is we’re still missing botlanes because I feel like in botlanes we are not as strong at all. But ADCs, we got improvement at least.
Ethan: So are supports the problem?
Supa: Yes, I wish we have better support quality as well to be like really good in botlane. About the top five probably… I mean, should I include myself as well?
Ethan: Yes, of course.
Supa:
I believe I’m the best, so I will put me first. Talking about the role itself, not botlane – because I think Fnatic’s botlane is the best after us – I think Caliste (Caliste Henry-hennebert) is the second best.
I think then it’s Upset 3rd (Elias Lipp). Then I’ll probably put Noah (Oh Hyeon-taek) 4th because I think GIANTX are performing better than G2. But I think Hans Sama last year was really good. And then I will put Hans Sama (Steven Liv) 5th.
Ethan: Caliste second, interesting… Your rivalry goes on.
Finally, I wanted to know what are the ambitions of KOI for this year? If you were to achieve all your goals as a team, but also personally?
Supa: I think KOI’s goal is to reach as much internationals as we can. So probably go to three out of three. I think we have the the cup that is in the middle Esports World Cup? So that’s four. We just want to reach as much internationals as possible. Individually, as how it’s going, I will be really happy because I feel like I’m enjoying every day on the stage. I’m working really well individually. So if I keep like this consistency, I think all my goals will be completed.
I love winning, but I don’t really care about it because I can’t control wins on my own. It’s a team game. So if I perform well, if I work well, if I’m happy with the work I’m doing, my goals will be fulfilled 100%.
Rapid Fire Questions:
Laning or Teamfighting? Huh… Before it was laning but now, teamfighting.
Crushing Caliste or Hans Sama in lane? *laugh* That’s a good one… I’ll say Hans Sama.
Zeri or Xayah? Zeri.
Ruler or Gumayusi? Gumayusi.
Win a split of LEC or reach Worlds’ quarter finals? Win a split of LEC.
Win Worlds final against Karmine Corp or against Hanwha Life Esports? Hanwha Life 100%. I think I would retire if I beat Viper in the final… That’s just the perfect situation.
Ethan is an esports fanatic — not a Fnatic fan, don’t get him wrong. He previously worked for a French media outlet called Eclypsia, as well as Sheep Esports, for whom he covered a variety of scenes: from FC 24, R6, and RL to CS:GO, VAL, and more. But the main reason Ethan started writing in esports was to have the opportunity to work fully on his one true love: League of Legends. And that’s precisely what he is doing at Hotspawn. Be warned, his articles can sometimes ooze a little too much of his lack of objectivity towards the French scene and players…
