EG yay on the victory over FURIA and his ability as a flex player

Esports.gg spoke with none other than El Diablo himself, Jaccob "yay" Whiteaker. He finds himself back in VCT Americas after a stint in VCT Pacific. And as part of Evil Geniuses, he helped his team to their first victory of the tournament.

Any loss now is an elimination, but yay was in high spirits after EG took down FURIA. He gave us insights into his Agent selections, owning the El Diablo nickname, and much more regarding his return to North American VALORANT.

Written interview may have been edited for clarity and ease of reading.

"It’s been a long time since you’ve been part of a VCT victory. Almost a year. How’s it feel to get this first win with EG under your belt?"

yay: "It feels pretty good. I think it's just like a confidence win, you know, like just slowly rebuilding that confidence and rebuilding, you know? Even for the team. The team's confidence in general and just keeping on our game plan and keep practicing."

"So, El Diablo. Once the most feared player in all of VALORANT. That nickname. Is it something that just sticks around, or do you feel like you have to go out and earn it every time you play?"

yay: "I think it'll always stick. I don't think it's something where it's transferrable <laughs>? It's something that kind of defines me, but I do think I do have to earn it to a certain extent, you know? So, I don't know. It's a tricky question to be honest with you, but I would say I still have to go out there and earn that nickname and put up performances. Otherwise, I'm not living up to that name."

"Well, do you think you earned it out there against FURIA?"

yay: "I'd say so. I think I could have played a lot better than I did, but a win is a win. I did my job and it worked out. I didn't have to be a star or anything of that nature, but obviously I think I could have played a lot better. So, I'm hoping to showcase that into future matches."

"Let’s talk Agents. On Abyss, I think that was like the fourth time you’ve ever played as Astra? And you still showed out with the Operator. Tell me about your evolution as a player, going from that main, fragging Duelist role to still have those capabilities, but with those added responsibilities of a Controller?"

yay: "I've just developed more into a flex player over time. Because I think as the game evolves, there's not really going to be any situations in which you're only playing like one Agent, for example, on every single map. And I think I've always been able to flex.

"Even early on in my career, I used to do Breach. I used to do Viper. I used to do so many different Agents and I think I'm perfectly capable of doing it. But yeah, so I started doing Astra more recently and honestly a bunch of other Agents.

"So, I'm just excited to also play something new because like, I feel like if you play something for so long, it tends to get like a little stagnant. I also think it fits my overall style as a player, a little bit more than, for example, like hard entrying."

"On Fracture then, I’m pretty sure that was the very first time you’ve played Killjoy in an official. So, why Killjoy? What do you think your own personal strengths are on that Agent?"

yay: "I think it's just a situation of like, it depends on the map. I think with Fracture, for example, you kind of need a Sentinel that's able to control a lot of different lanes, because for each site you have to worry about both.

"Top side, bottom side, you know, there's a lot of different entrances and stuff like that. So, you need a lot of information at all points. Usually, it's really good for that. So, that's why I am more on the Agent and plus, you know, I'm more of a Sentinel these days anyways."

"You’ve got icy as the main Duelist on Evil Geniuses. And you guys looked super in sync during this match. Just talk about me about how things are working out. Instead of being the entry or whatever, what is it like having that piece of the puzzle that you now have to rely on and trust?"

yay: "It's pretty good. I've been playing, I guess, a similar role to kind of like what I did at OpTic, where Victor was more of the hard entry on a lot of the occasions. And I followed up and was able to trade and play the post-plants and situations where I don't have to clear 40 different angles and fly in to figure all that out. So, it's working pretty good. I feel like it's pretty natural for me and it's a much better fit for me than just running in."

That brings to mind how we've seen Demon1, sometimes he'll play Brimstone. And other people who were main Duelists in the past, picking up different roles. When you're able to have the aim like you do and you're a proven Duelist, does that make you more dangerous? That you're able to play those different characters with different responsibilities, while you're still able to click heads and fulfill the fragging duty?"

yay: "I think so. I think that's where Sentinels are going. Just in general, having a Sentinel with really good aim to be able to close out rounds is pretty important. Plus if you have some Duelist experience, you're able to know when to scale, how to walk up, take space, angle out your duels really well. So, I think there's a lot of benefits in that and I think that's why you're also seeing a lot of players transition more into a role like that."

"Alright, and of course, this is a new-look team from previous years. But still, it is a world championship organization with a world champion VALORANT coach. And you’re no stranger to a trophy yourself. So, with Potter at the helm and you, in what really feels like a fresh start, how are you two working together? What has she taught you or vice versa?"

yay: "I think she's just helped me develop a little bit as a player. She helps me stay disciplined in a lot of different situations, especially when it comes to different/new Agents. To get a really good feel for it and what my objective is. Making sure I adhere to that role on the team. I think she does a really, really good job of that. And, you know, I find a lot of my success because of her."

"What about you when you bring the things to the table? From having competed in VALORANT at a high level, is there anything that you have done that maybe surprised her? That the team maybe was like, whoa, yay's bringing some knowledge here?"

yay: "She always hypes me up a lot. She always is very confident in me and has some very high expectations for me. So, in terms of like what I bring it's hard to say. I think that'd be like a question you might have to ask her, to be honest with you, more so than anything."

It's hard to know on the spot, what her opinion is. But I do bring some stuff in terms of just experience and how to play, the opponent and a bunch of other things. I have a lot of experience being at the top and have a lot of, I'd like to say talent and skills. So, I guess I bring that to the table and I'm able to secure rounds that normally other people would not be able to."

"At this point, you’ve only played teams from Brazil. Cloud9 versus MIBR is about to start up as we’re speaking, so that’s potentially a third Brazilian team. How badly are you itching to face some of the NA rosters of VCT Americas?"

yay: "I think it would be really fun. It would be really fun to play C9. Obviously, there's some history there and I know a lot of the guys, so it would be really fun to play. But also, I really enjoy playing the Brazilian rosters too. So, either one, I'm happy."

"If it is MIBR, we've got yay versus aspas. Envy/OpTic versus LOUD, there's history there. Does that bring back any memories for you with that possibly lingering as the next match?"

yay: "I mean, a few memories, but since I'm playing a different role, it's not really me, you know, versus aspas on that role. So, I'm not really like thinking about that, to be honest with you."

"Last question for you then. The only time prior to this that you were on a VCT Americas team, I’m sure you know, one event and you were gone. Can you promise me, promise the viewers, promise everyone, that won’t happen this time?"

yay: "<laughs> I mean, I can't make that promise. It's not up to me. I mean, I'll do my best to prevent that by performing, doing what's expected of me. But like, sometimes there's stuff that's out of my control and that was like the stuff with the C9 roster. So, it's hard to say, you know? I'm trying my best!"

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