

Andrew Kim (above) is the assistant Player Manager for NYXL and, by his description, his job is to make sure players and coaches don't have to focus on anything other than playing Overwatch. He cleans, he runs errands, and most importantly, understands the individual needs of each player, maintaining their trust and friendship.



As a former analyst for LW Blue & Red, Selfless and NRG, Kim is used to working behind the scenes. He explained to me that coaches and players can't be too friendly with each other, but he doesn't have this professional limitation. As a result, players view him like their "big brother" and it's safe to say, without him, the work hard, grind harder mentality of NYXL just wouldn't be possible.



I talked with Kim after a larger media interview with the full team, in which he acted as an English to Korean translator for his players. It was the first time someone wanted to interview just Kim and it showed in how humble he was throughout the entire discussion.



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What do you think is the hardest part of your job?



Keeping track of everything I have to do-- I have a list of things I have to do and it is always more than 10-20 things Each task has steps that follow into potentially more tasks. I have to always keep track of where I am at so I can continue working. Keeping track of the job can be a challenge.



These things are as little as taking out the trash. But that can lead to more things-- like “we have a problem, we have no trash cans” so that leads to another task, which leads to another task



laughs

" If you asked every single person on our roster 'Who do you think is the best player in your position?' they would say 'me' "





So is it fair to say that your job is to make sure the team functions outside of the game?



Yeah, I have to make sure everyone, coaches, and the players, can focus on the game. I take care of everything else outside the game.



What are the biggest distractions to the coaches and the players?



It’s the simple things, like, again, too much trash in the house. That makes it a bad environment for players to train. It can be as little as that. Something as simple as keeping it clean. And say, for example, during a match day, the players need a heat pack so I have to make sure they have them.





How vital do you think it is for these players to be able to focus only on the game and nothing else?



It’s important, but don’t think it’s a big part of why we are successful, to be honest. I’ve been in two different Overwatch teams before, and NYXL is the most synergized team. We have the best friendships among the players and the coaches. We are very friendly with each other and close. Everyone is so positive, even if we lose really badly in a scrim or a match, everyone just thinks of what they can do better next time.



Instead of complaining, they actually do what they are supposed to do. That is why we are successful.



What are some examples have this positive attitude?



For example, if we lose badly in a scrim against a team we should be beating, other teams might complain or stay quiet because they are mad. But not our team. Our team talks about what we have to do next immediately.



Have you met some of the other player managers?



I know Seoul’s manager and, other than that, no.



Do you think the player manager position is roughly the same, or do you think it changes from team to team?



We probably don’t do the exact thing, but we have the same goal. We take care of everything outside of the game so coaches and players don’t have to.



You have a lot of up close and personal with NYXL outside of the game-- what is the team like in ways that fans usually don’t see?



Our players are not shy. Even on the stage, they are themselves and they dab, they dance-- they are the exact same in our house. What the people see on camera is exactly how they act in real life.



Some players, like MeKo and JJoNak-- they get kinda shy in front of the camera, but outside of the camera, they are the most talkative and the funniest people on the team. I wish fans would know that!



▲ Center, Sung-hyeon "JJoNak" Bang



What is your opinion on the perceived skill gap among the Korean teams and the rest of the league?



All our players say that NA and EU players are just as good as Koreans now. None of our players believe there is a gap at all. It is my opinion too actually, I don’t think there is any gap.



How would you explain the tendency for Korean teams to win more often than?



Well, I’ve lived in Korea and in the US and I’ve seen the difference. In America, it’s sometimes not cool to play video games-- it’s much more popular to play sports. But in Korea, it’s the opposite. If you don’t play any games, you won’t have any friends. Naturally, after school the Korean students gather around and they go to internet cafes, and they play against each other and they are really competitive because it’s such a cool thing to do. It makes it very enticing for Korean players to get better and be the best.



People who play video games in the states mostly play for fun, but in Korea, it’s usually to try and get better. I think that is the main cultural difference.



What is the NYXL training regime like?



If you watch how much our players work and practice, no one would say their skill is just natural talent. They play Overwatch even on weekends and free time-- after they are scrimming for 6 to 8 hours they go home and they still play Overwatch and they still practice. It’s all hard work.



What is player confidence like in NYXL?



I’m sure if you asked every single person on our roster “Who do you think is the best player in your position” they would say “me”. And it’s hard to argue against that when you watch them play.







"Instead of complaining, they actually do what they are supposed to do. That is why we are successful."





Who does NYXL think is their biggest rival?



Obviously the best teams, Seoul and London.



Is being a player-manager anything you’ve expected you’d be doing?



It depends on how long ago you would of asked me. If you asked me this a year ago, not at all. Like, every player in every sport, they probably dream of going pro. When I was young, I wanted to be a pro player but I wasn’t good enough. Now, I’m doing my best to make sure players and coaches only have to focus on the game.



What is the most enjoyable part of the job?



One thing that I really enjoy is, you see the coach-player relationship has to be a barrier of some sorts. They can’t get too friendly with each other because it will affect their work. But I can be very friendly with the players. I believe all of the players see me as a big brother figure and they trust me. I try my best to help them and that is the most enjoyable thing-- me being close to the players, hanging out with the players, and having a great relationship.



When you see them win on stage, how does that make you feel?



I am just as happy as them, I am definitely the biggest NYXL fan.



Any last words for fans?



As always, thank you to the fans and supporters all around the world. I know we have fans around Korea and New York-- probably other countries too. Hopefully, we will bring you all the championship!



You can follow Andrew Kim on twitter @AndrewKimOW. NYXL's next match is against Valiant on Thursday, the 18th. All photos of the team taken by Robert Paul for Blizzard Entertainment and subsequently released by Blizzard for publication.