Although support players in the Overwatch League are not often seen, a Zenyatta main became the first MVP in the league. Sung-Hyeon “JJonak” Bang from New York Excelsior is the first “most valuable player” of the eSports event – what makes him so special?
Fans voted JJonak only in 4th place: For the first MVP of the Overwatch League, fans voted separately on Twitter and by broadcaster team. JJonak ended up only in 4th place among the fans, behind Fearless, Geguri, and Fleta. However, the team vote helped him to secure 1st place.
Who is JJonak?
JJonak plays as a support for one of the strongest teams in the Overwatch League – New York Excelsior. With the team, he even reached the semi-finals of the playoffs, where the top 6 of the league compete for a million dollars in prize money.
JJonak – the “Zenyatta God”: JJonak is crucial to his team’s success. In his role as a support, he plays almost exclusively Zenyatta. He masters the Omnic monk in a way that has already earned him the nickname “Zenyatta God” in the league.
JJonak plays Zenyatta more aggressively than most other players in the league – and simply better. Among all supports, JJonak dealt the most damage per 10 minutes in Phase 4 of the league, even surpassing some DPS players.
In his team, he adds additional damage while also securing important kills. In some matches, JJonak even has more eliminations or damage than his teammates. He doesn’t neglect healing either – although his colleague Ark takes care of most of it.
JJonak is seen more often: Due to his playing style, JJonak is also more often in focus on the screen than other supports. The sight of support players in the Overwatch League is relatively rare, as they do not provide as much action, and eSports should ultimately excite.
However, JJonak is also an exception in many ways. With his orbs, he frequently takes opponents out of the game and creates scenes that also excite the audience. The camera often focuses on him for this reason alone.
What can we learn from JJonak?
JJonak’s playstyle comes not only from his synergy with the team but also from his training and immense skills. JJonak is simply very good and has a team that fits this way of playing perfectly.
This can help you: JJonak’s handling of Zenyatta shows that the monk is not just a healing machine that can block various ultimates with Transcendence. Zenyatta is much more when given the space to evolve.
With a strong Zenyatta, you can exert much more pressure on the opponent, as their healers suddenly have to compensate for much more damage. The threat then comes not only from your DPS players but also from a third damage dealer.
What you should avoid: It looks quite easy for JJonak when he takes apart his opponents. However, he is not without reason the probably best Zenyatta player in the world. Pros in eSports train many hours every day and have dedicated their lives to it.
Therefore, do not expect such numbers when you pick up Zenyatta for the first time. Take your time and practice – and remember that even many other pros are not as good as JJonak.
