Mindfreak to explore options to leave Paper Rex as a restricted free agent

Long-standing Paper Rex player Aaron “mindfreak” Leonhart has been allowed to explore an exit from the Pacific side. The Indonesian player had been a largely unused 6th man on PRX’s roster since Patrick “PatMen” Mendoza’s signing in March of this year.

Mindfreak now a restricted free agent

Announced by the organisation via a post on X, Mindfreak is now able to explore his options to leave the team as a restricted free agent. The post details the decision to move him from the team’s active to reserve roster, and mindfreak’s subsequent urge to ‘continue competing at the highest levels’. As a result, his departure from Paper Rex has now been given the green light.

The post also included a quote from Paper Rex’s Chief Gaming Officer, Harley “dsn” Örvall, in which he hailed mindfreak’s ability as a strong backup option for the roster, while emphasizing the organisation’s wish to “not want to hold talent like him back from exploring opportunities” as a result of the player’s request to leave.

Dsn’s full comment:

“Aaron is a fierce competitor and an incredibly cerebral player with a wealth of experience in his roles. We consider ourselves extremely fortunate to have him on our reserve roster, ready to step in should emergencies arise in Stage 2. Throughout the course of our journey, Aaron has been nothing short of professional and a strong team player throughout his tenure with us. Most recently, working closely with his teammates in his coaching role to take us across the finish line at VALORANT Masters Toronto. However, Aaron has expressed to us his burning desire to actively play and compete again, and Paper Rex does not want to hold talent like him back from exploring opportunities”

Mindfreak aiming for return post-Stage 2

With most regions’ Stage 2 tournaments to kick off imminently, and China’s having already begun, the options for a move now would be incredibly slim for the player.

In his own X thread, mindfreak explained that he will be ‘ready to player after Stage 2’, adding that he’s ‘taking my time here at home to prepare mentally and physically to compete again since my state of mind was in a really bad shape earlier this year’.

A Paper Rex legend

Mindfreak’s imminent departure will see the breakup of the quartet that was part of the organisation’s Counter-Strike roster that transitioned to VALORANT back in 2021. Alongside Jason “f0rsakeN” Susanto, Khalish “d4v41” Rusyaidee, and head coach Alexandre “alecks” Sallé, mindfreak has been a mainstay on the team during their previous seven Masters and three VALORANT Champions events.

The team’s unprecedented nine consecutive global appearances saw the roster become a global fan favourite, and that fanbase followed them through heartbreaking international final losses in Copenhagen in 2022 and Los Angeles in 2023.

Paper Rex’s recent win in Toronto was vindication for those fans, and, though he wasn’t on the playing roster during the event, mindfreak will always be remembered as having been a part of the side when it finally became a global champion.

The PatMen effect

Though PatMen’s signing was not supposed to be a direct replacement of mindfreak at the time, and the two did share some gametime during Stage 2, Paper Rex’s success with the newcomer in the roster has, understandably, made it difficult to see a route for mindfreak to break back into the team.

PatMen has quickly become one of the standout performers on the VALORANT Champions Tour and played a crucial role in the side finally becoming global champions with their Masters Toronto win last month.

Mindfreak has acted as a de facto assistant coach during that time, with his input praised during their Toronto run by head coach alecks. However, understandably, the player is not satisfied with that role and still has the desire to compete on the server.