As the LCS 2024 Summer Season draws near, Sniper is now leading the charge for 100 Thieves. While still in his rookie year, the top laner has impressed many in the first half of the competitive calendar and is now aiming to continue his ascension through the League of Legends North American scene. In this exclusive interview, Sniper discusses his twin brother, the expectations for his team, other teams in the league, and more.

What have you learned in your first split, how are you planning on tackling the summer split, and what are your goals for the rest of the year?

Last split was pretty successful for us, especially in the regular season. I didn't face many issues then. I was learning a lot, but when it came to playoffs, the strategies I used before didn't seem to work anymore. I'm not sure why that happened. So, I took that month to figure things out. Now, heading into the summer split, I'm trying to apply everything I learned in spring and keep improving consistently. I believe this split will definitely be better than the last one.

100 Thieves performed better in best-of-ones last split. Do you think you will be able to replicate the same success in best-of-threes?

It's going to be super fun. I've never played in a best-of-three format before, so I'm looking forward to that experience. It'll definitely help me grow as a player too. Going back to what you mentioned, I believe it'll actually benefit our team. We'll gain more experience from playing more games together. This split will be full of learning experiences, and I'm really enthusiastic about playing in a best-of-three. I think it's a fantastic adjustment.

What is the aim for 100 Thieves this split? Do you think you can make it to Worlds?

Just honestly try to enjoy the process as much as possible. Take small steps every day towards my improvement and all that. And you can't... I'm not sure how to say this, but you can't count out our chances of making it to Worlds. That's still a possibility, you know? So, definitely aim to make it to Worlds and try to win this split as well.

You managed to dodge the lane-swap meta but tanks have still risen in prominence. How confident are you to play in this new meta? Do you feel ready to play champions like Skarner or Zac despite having previously played mostly carry champions?

I think during the spring split, I was still practicing a lot of these champions. But on stage, I only played the champs I was good at, so I already have experience with them. But like you were saying, I'm glad I avoided the lane-swap meta because I really didn't want to play in that meta. We were scrimming in it when I was in Korea, and I was the worst at it. So yeah, I don't think I'll have any trouble playing champions like Zac or K'Sante. I just need to do my own research on them, get some practice in, and then I'll be good with them.

Do you think there's a chance we'll see Riven picked?

I mean, I actually think Riven's in a decent spot right now. So, I'll probably bring her out sometime this split. I'm just not sure exactly when it will be, but you'll definitely see me play Riven. That's something I can tell you for sure.

What have you most improved on since joining the LCS? Did you work on anything in particular in the off-season?

I think the things I did well were keeping my mental in check and staying present so I could learn as much as possible. That really helped with my improvement a lot. I took everything my coaches said seriously and also tried to form my own opinions. So yeah, I think that's where I excelled. As for what I worked on during the off-season, it was mainly staying in shape and maintaining the form I had in the spring split, where I performed pretty well, you know, I was kind of on a roll most of the time. Except for playoffs, but we won't talk about that.

How have you handled the mental hardships and stress of being a professional player so far? Has it been difficult to have such an accelerated rise in the North American competitive landscape?

Throughout my career, it hasn't always been smooth sailing for me I guess. I had a lot that I needed to work on, especially mentally. So, I'm still focusing on improving in that area. When I feel stressed or overwhelmed, I usually call my family, watch a show I enjoy, or just spend time by myself to take care of myself. But yeah, I also try to have as much fun as possible while maintaining a serious approach when needed. So that's how I handle stress.

You've been in 100 Thieves since the end of 2021 and went through their amateur, academic, and now main squads. Could you tell me about your time with the organization so far and how they've supported you in your rise to the LCS?

They've been nothing but supportive, honestly. 100 Thieves has been amazing. I really couldn't, like, I'm saying this from the bottom of my heart, I couldn't ask for a better team. It really showed when I had to take a break while I was in academy when I was going through some hard times. They supported me through all of that, so now it's up to me to repay how much 100 Thieves has supported me as a player. Everybody at 100 Thieves has been amazing. I love them all, I love the organization, and I really want to make them proud. So yeah.

You seem really close to both your brothers Viper and Crimson. Could you tell me more about your relationship with them? Do you have expectations for your twin brother after he just qualified for the NACL?

Yeah, definitely. I think me and my twin brother Crimson, we're super close with each other. We can tell each other anything. That's how my relationship is not only with my brothers but with my whole family. So, I think he's going to be a very good player. With time, as he gains more experience and faces realities like playing in Academy or LCS, it'll be a big life experience for him. He's going to be very successful, and I'll be there alongside him. I just hope for nothing but the best for my family in general.

How long do you think we'll have to wait until you face Crimson in the LCS?

I mean, that's also a pretty good question. I think by summer 2025, he'll be ready.

Are there players or teams you want to take down this summer?

I don't have any specific team or player in mind right now. I'm focusing on myself and trying to be in the right headspace to improve as much as I can in-game. But we did lose to Team Liquid; they knocked us out, even though we went 2-0 against them in the group stage. So, beating Impact and Team Liquid is something I really want to achieve.

Who do you feel you've learned the most from in 100 Thieves so far? How has the atmosphere been with your current teammates lately?

I'm honestly learning so much from everyone. Right now, it's mainly been the coaches. Last split, it was River and Quid who were helping me out a lot, but now it's mostly the coaches. They know how to work with me, and I'm trying to absorb as much knowledge as possible from everyone to improve my gameplay. So yeah, I'd say the coaches are the ones I'm learning the most from at the moment.

Any closing words for your fans?

Thank you again for this interview. I appreciate you taking the time. And yeah, just keep watching us, guys. We'll try our best to maintain our improvement and domination. So keep supporting us, and we'll make you all proud.