Is LOUD Aspas still the best Jett player in VALORANT?

Since LOUD's amazing performance in the game throughout 2022, the Brazilian VALORANT player Erick "aspas" Santos has been regarded as one of the top Jett players in the world. He has made a reputation for himself in the competitive scene for his aggressive playstyle and pinpoint precision whilst only utilizing Agent Jett. But with VALORANT's development, the arrival of new players, and the ever-changing meta, the question of whether Aspas is the best Jett player arises.

It is crucial to remember that being the best in VALORANT is extremely subjective. The game heavily relies on momentum, and a player's performance can differ significantly based on the make-up of their squad, the maps they play, and the tactics they use. Furthermore, it can be challenging to predict a player's performance as it might be impacted by outside variables like exhaustion and stress.

We can use mathematical analysis to gain a better understanding of Aspas' present performance as a Jett player in VALORANT. There is also a lot to gain by employing a more objective understanding of his abilities and efficacy in-game by looking at important performance indicators like his rating, first-bloods, KAST and others. In order to spot any changes in his playstyle or areas where he may have improved or declined, we can also compare his current performance to that of his performance throughout his Championship-winning run of 2022. It is obvious that he excels in the competitive environment. He is a powerful foe to his opponents thanks to his mastery of Jett's abilities and his performance, so let’s take a closer look at LOUD Aspas' performance in 2022 and so far in 2023.

2023 so far: VCT LOCK//IN

Aspas is tied with Yu "BuZz" Byung-chul from DRX with a rating of 1.08 and is only behind Nikita "Derke" Sirmitev from Fnatic with a Rating of 1.26 when we look at the players' Rating during the event. Aspas, though, played the most maps with the Agent out of the three players. Aspas chose Jett in every single one of the 17 maps used during VCT LOCK//IN. Throughout the event, Aspas played 380 rounds with the Agent, 169 more than Derke.

The fact that the player's performance varied so greatly throughout the competition is an intriguing one. In the Grand Final, Aspas had his worst performance historically with LOUD, 0.47 when he lost 8-13 on Ascent, a map in which all teams chose Jett in their composition, and 0.48 in the 13-8 victory on Lotus, which is statistically the worst map for Jett, with only 5 picks (22.73%), a performance well below his overwhelming showing against DRX VS in the 13-5 victory on Pearl, where the player had a score of 1.85.

It's interesting to note that LOUD played LOCK//IN with a new coaching staff and 2 new players who came in to replace pANcada and Sacy, two crucial members of the 2022 winning team, yet the team was still one map away from winning two international VCT events in a row. Even on the worst maps for the Agent, instalocking Jett in a world championship is undoubtedly a great indication that you are a true aficionado of Jett. Yet, Aspas' finest performance in the Grand Final was on the last map, Icebox, where he was outperformed by the opposing Jett that was played by Derke. Perhaps this time, when it was most needed, LOUD’s star couldn't shine bright enough.

VCT Americas League

On his debut match in the VCT 2023 - Americas League, Aspas had an astonishing performance. In the 2-1 victory against MIBR, Aspas got away with 66 kills and 15 First Bloods, a First Blood Success Rate of 65%, plus a Rating of 1.38, the second highest overall rating during the first week and the best Jett performance. For comparison, TenZ, the second-best Jett in the VCT Americas opening, had a rating of 1.17.

Aspas' outstanding performance in the VCT Americas opening week has set the bar high for Jett players, and it will be interesting to see if any other player can surpass his numbers. His impressive First Blood Success Rate of 65% (15/23) shows his ability to make crucial plays at the start of rounds, which can often set the tone for the rest of the match.

Currently, LOUD is undefeated in the competition after five rounds, and much of it is due to the extraordinary performance of their duelist. Aspas has the best rating among all players, 1.31, and also the best rating among Jett players with more than 200 rounds. Only the Brazilian and Tacolilla from Leviatán are the players who have played with only one Agent so far, both with Jett.

In comparison to other international leagues, Derke from FNATIC, who is also undefeated, has a rating of 1.53 in 111 rounds of Jett in the EMEA League, and Dep from ZETA Division has a rating of 1.21 in 242 rounds in the Pacific League.

Among all players from all leagues, Aspas has the most Multikills, 79, and is the third player with the most Kills per Round, 0.98, behind only Sushiboys, 1.36, and Derke, 1.03.

2022: The Super LOUD

2022 is the year to be remembered for Brazilian VALORANT fans. To begin with, the Brazilian esports organization won each and every game played in their homeland, including both of that year's VCT Challengers. It was a remarkable accomplishment that no team in the area had ever completed before. Also, the team earned a spot in their first Masters competition and experienced defeat for the first time. The start of one of the best rivalries in the VALORANT era came about when they were defeated by OpTic Gaming in the Grand Finals. However, LOUD fought OpTic once more in the subsequent Masters with the motto, "We're coming back stronger," in mind, only to lose again. But this only strengthened their resolve to bounce back stronger and to enact their retribution.

Their chance for redemption came in the VCT Champions Istanbul Grand Finals, where they faced OpTic once more. The stakes were high, and the tension was palpable. LOUD demonstrated their tenacity and fought tooth and nail to win the grand prize this time. The team's perseverance and hard work had paid off, and it was a moment of great pride and celebration for LOUD fans all over the world.

Every LOUD fan will always look back on 2022 as their dream year. Many people were enthralled by the team's victories, dominance, and tenacity, and their accomplishments will be remembered in the history of VALORANT esports. It was a year filled with outstanding performances, fierce competition, and treasured memories. Fans of LOUD can look back on 2022 with pride and happiness as they look forward to the future.

But wait, we are talking about Aspas and his Jett in here. Where does he fit in? Here are his performances throughout 2022 on Jett summed up:

• VCT 2022 - Challengers Brazil 1, best Jett (200+ rounds) with a rating of 1.34;
• VCT 2022 - Masters Reykjavík, best Jett (200+ rounds) with a rating of 1.13;
• VCT 2022 - Challengers Brazil 2, 2nd best Jett, behind xand, rating of 1.23;
• VCT 2022 - Champions Istanbul, best Jett (100+ rounds) with a rating of 1.13.

I know it's hard to follow all these numbers, so here is a graphic so you can understand how astonishing his performance was in 2022:

In the field of esports, the term "the best'' is quite subjective because it can vary depending on a number of things like individual talent, teamwork, consistency, and overall influence on the game. Who is "the best'' also depends on the particular conditions, opponents, and maps chosen. At the end of the day, defining who is "the best'' is a matter of personal opinion and interpretation. In the history of VALORANT, Aspas will be forever remembered to be one of the best to ever play, but in your opinion, is LOUD Aspas still the best Jett in VALORANT?