NiKo on not becoming IGL: "I believed I could still be one of the best players in the world"

The Bosnian superstar touched on his phenomenal form after G2 advanced to the playoffs of IEM Cologne.

NiKo hopes his level has shown fans why he didn't take up leadership duties

Nikola "⁠NiKo⁠" Kovač has weathered a slight dip in performance since the start of Counter-Strike 2, and now he's in a renaissance.

The six-time top-five player in the world, considered by some as the best rifler of CS:GO, once spoke about his discomfort after the move to the new title. His performance dipped from a 1.2X average rating to 1.09 for the first three CS2 events in 2023, and increased marginally to 1.15 by IEM Chengdu.

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NiKo: "I don't feel the best individually right now [in CS2]"

The Bosnian rifler started to find his footing at ESL Pro League Season 19, however, and pointed to the Maltese event as the turning point for his level while on the desk after G2 qualified for the playoffs in Cologne.

"I noticed that everything started to click [for me] during Malta EPL, from that event on I started to play better and better," NiKo said.

From EPL on, NiKo has averaged a 1.23 rating, and ever since Mario "⁠malbsMd⁠" Samayoa and Janusz "⁠Snax⁠" Pogorzelski joined the team, he has looked like his best self with 1.35, 1.26, and 1.44-rated showings at EWC, BLAST Fall Groups, and Cologne.

NiKo's stats since malbsMd and Snax joined G2

The thought that he could return to that level was a key factor in NiKo deciding not to transition to in-game leader during the tournament break, he revealed.

"One of the reasons why I didn't take over IGL when we were making changes was that I believed in myself, that I could still be one of the best players in the world, and I saw clear progress.

"I'm happy that I made this decision in the end and hopefully... I mean, it's pretty hard to keep up this level, but as long as I see progress in myself, that's very important for me. But I hope that people understand now why I didn't take over as IGL."

Guatemala Mario 'malbsMd' Samayoa
Mario 'malbsMd' Samayoa
Age:
21
Team:
Rating 1.0:
1.08
Maps played:
937
KPR:
0.76
DPR:
0.70
Poland Janusz 'Snax' Pogorzelski
Janusz 'Snax' Pogorzelski
Age:
31
Team:
Rating 1.0:
1.03
Maps played:
2526
KPR:
0.70
DPR:
0.66
Bosnia and Herzegovina Nikola 'NiKo' Kovač
Nikola 'NiKo' Kovač
Age:
27
Team:
Rating 1.0:
1.15
Maps played:
1944
KPR:
0.79
DPR:
0.66
#1
Faceit level 10 Old school: User been here for more than 10 years  | 
 | 
Romania PRQN
so real
2024-08-13 23:34
71
#2
Faceit level 10  | 
 | 
Romania MESSI_0_BENCH
aura
2024-08-13 23:34
88
#3
 | 
Poland l1m4k
Pog
2024-08-13 23:34
31
#4
 | 
Egypt BomberMan_
Why not both top 5 player and igl mr NiKo
2024-08-13 23:36
2
19 replies
#7
Miku | 
Canada bcf30
he wants to be top 1 player
2024-08-13 23:38
56
18 replies
#18
Faceit level 10 Old school: User been here for more than 10 years  | 
 | 
Chad maatsa
fuck I wish, I don't see that ever happening unfortunately with ZywOo + donk and m0NESY who have not hit their peak yet rn I'm praying for that Shanghai MVP because NiKo despite being the best rifler for half a decade since coldzera dropped off still hasn't managed to surpass him in LAN MVPs, disaster class career considering his sublime talent
2024-08-13 23:59
20
17 replies
#22
 | 
Yugoslavia kinetiQQ
That can definitely happen Just needs g2 to have a era next year and outfrag m0nesy
2024-08-14 00:13
5
4 replies
#31
Faceit level 10 Old school: User been here for more than 10 years  | 
 | 
Chad maatsa
nah I don't believe it anymore, NiKo can peak as high as anyone but he's shown time and time again he can't keep it up for the whole year, he's not really on the same level as s1mple/ZywOo but "just" on the level of prime device with higher ceiling (pls prove me wrong ChoKo) even outfragging m0NESY would be difficult - he's only 19 and should be better next year, same with donk and if ZywOo stops cosplaying as a rifler he'll do better than he did this year too
2024-08-14 00:28
8
3 replies
#32
 | 
Yugoslavia kinetiQQ
But it can happen if he keeps it up for the whole year The guy just starts every good year off poorly and wins nothing
2024-08-14 00:29
1
1 reply
#33
Faceit level 10 Old school: User been here for more than 10 years  | 
 | 
Chad maatsa
That's a big if. He played as well as he does right now and even better before. It never lasts.
2024-08-14 00:30
1
Lmao this guy has the worst takes
2024-08-14 20:57
1
The main issue is that NiKo has been in a lot of dysfunctional teams most of his career except for the original FaZe superstar team and G2 nexa first iteration (got unlucky as s1mple at the time was just insane). This team so far looks really promising and I have more faith in snax than hooxi
2024-08-14 00:27
8
9 replies
#36
Faceit level 10 Old school: User been here for more than 10 years  | 
 | 
Chad maatsa
I'm sorry but that is just pure cope. NiKo had a genuine superteam and then insanely stacked roster in jks G2. Name me an all time great player that had that many chances and still fucked it up. Rio was there for the taking and the opportunity was there in Paris and Copenhagen. And for all that I think HooXi is a mid IGL at best and should've never been given the job at G2 it was NiKo who disappeared both against Fnatic and then NAVI. ZywOo cleared NiKo's individual resume in 3 years while carrying french retirement home. I agree that this should be his best chance since Boston and I hope he wins it because if not even malbs, m0NESY and in form huNter can make NiKo win a major then nothing will.
2024-08-14 00:43
0
8 replies
HooXi was just toxic and NiKo almost openly said that after they signed snax. You can already see how things improved as NiKo is not pounding his desk every 5 minutes under snax and snax is even the first guy NiKo talks to after the game.
2024-08-14 07:15
7
6 replies
#63
 | 
Austria beefo
hmm interesting, do you have source pls?
2024-08-14 10:27
2
5 replies
#64
Old school: User been here for more than 10 years  | 
Europe Freezak
HooXi joined a team named TOXIC in 2017, hence the phrase "HooXi was just toxic" isn't wrong. Checkmate.
2024-08-14 10:49
3
youtube.com/watch?v=63AYXlkiBJk&t=111s "he is very calm and very positive (...) this is just a huge contrast for us"
2024-08-14 12:32
2
3 replies
#68
 | 
Austria beefo
yeah, thats surprising to me, i saw this interview live and i didnt take it seriously.. because all of pro players always says good words about your new teammate.. but he really suggested that hooxi was toxic, its just wasnt as apparent as simple being toxic to teammates
2024-08-14 13:35
1
2 replies
We will never know, all we know that so far less meltdowns from NiKo and this. I mean, also HooXi's twitter as well says a lot how is his take on everything.
2024-08-14 13:55
3
1 reply
#70
 | 
Austria beefo
yeah, agree
2024-08-14 14:04
0
Stop spewing that dogshit takes boy
2024-08-14 20:56
0
Donk is a fraud
2024-08-14 01:35
0
Talent / potential is nothing without being fulfilled, he has never been able to conquer his attitude problems which has been by far his biggest downfall.
2024-08-14 09:50
3
#5
Faceit level 10  | 
 | 
Czech Republic HLTV_secured_orange_cat
hes becoming him again
2024-08-13 23:37
50
1 reply
always has been
2024-08-14 00:31
8
Niko still got it, the age isn't an excuse.
2024-08-13 23:38
9
And you were right, you are the GOAT forever and always <3
2024-08-13 23:39
32
#9
 | 
Sweden Vrede
real rifler
2024-08-13 23:40
14
#11
Faceit level 10  | 
NiKo | 
Serbia lkrmonstah
My goat
2024-08-13 23:44
11
goat
2024-08-13 23:47
11
A level that i think he's hitting so far is s1mple Prime but on rifle holy shit
2024-08-13 23:49
9
Best pure cs player of all time.
2024-08-13 23:51
9
#16
 | 
Bosnia and Herzegovina deekayxyz
BOSNIA MENTIONED
2024-08-13 23:52
3
1 reply
They forgot Herzegovina
2024-08-14 02:53
7
#19
Faceit level 8  | 
NiKo | 
Bosnia and Herzegovina _KiKo_
Bro just keeps hitting primes. Just when we tough it couldn't get better then 2021 he hits us with this banger after playerbreak. B2b MVP is on the cards for the goat rifler.
2024-08-14 00:01
21
#20
Faceit premium user Faceit level 10  | 
 | 
Bosnia and Herzegovina amariildoo
we love u niko, easy cologne for u
2024-08-14 00:05
4
Niko should never become IGL with that aim, he is world class rifler
2024-08-14 00:07
6
3 replies
#42
Old school: User been here for more than 10 years  | 
Canada h0tlamp
Twistzz: I aren't think that
2024-08-14 01:48
1
2 replies
And look at how it ended vs FaZe. Complete collapse, idk how but they just couldnt get 1 round, should've taken all 2 timeouts at once and talk 1minute about gameplan
2024-08-14 07:19
4
1 reply
#75
Old school: User been here for more than 10 years  | 
Canada h0tlamp
Lol bro he's IGL'd one event it's not that deep. Way more experienced IGLs have had the same thing happen. This was a good loss, he will learn from it. Liquid is killing it right now, would be cool to see if they can keep improving. But yeah cherry pick one moment out of like 7 matches while ignoring the fact he's near the top of the score board if not carrying while calling. TikTok brain. :(
2024-08-14 15:25
1
#24
Faceit level 10 Old school: User been here for more than 10 years  | 
Bwills | 
Canada cdiixon
best rifler of all time
2024-08-14 00:15
7
i remember dev1ce said about niko while on the casting desk at that EPL "he's playing cs:go right now". he's definitely back
2024-08-14 00:18
17
1 reply
yea, it was on ancient
2024-08-14 04:18
1
#28
snav | 
Canada adr0it
my goat
2024-08-14 00:22
6
he has time still so it makes sense. hooxi was clearly doing something either directly or indirectly that was hindering him.
2024-08-14 01:14
2
4 replies
Its never just that easy Hooxi was one of the multiple factors
2024-08-14 01:24
3
1 reply
it is that easy - seeing HooXi's twitter and seeing how NiKo had zero meltdowns this tournament it must be it. He even admitted it directly saying that he sees the contrast in attitude. After the game the very first thing NiKo is doing is quick chat with snax - that says a lot.
2024-08-14 02:57
3
It probably wasn't about HooXi, but about NiKo himself and what he was doing on most maps. G2 was basically throwing his life away letting him run first into utility and to go for smoke spam fights in the early rounds. Meanwhile nexa is lurking/anchoring and the round wasn't far enough yet to sacrifice HooXi for info, map control or trade. A guy like NiKo who easily gets frustrated and starts to mald is worst possible player to be used like this, especially since his team could also have used his firepower in late rounds as well. First of all he's probably not gonna do that any better than HooXi or nexa would, and secondly you're constantly fucking with his mental when he dies early to nades or smoke spams and has to helplessly watch his bot teammates lose the round.
2024-08-14 09:04
0
i don't think so, the team is fresh so everyone is motivated again. Plus now he has malbs who can also take some pressure of finding an opening from him, which probably makes it easier to play.
2024-08-14 14:56
1
Am I wrong for saying he’s making a case for top 3?
2024-08-14 01:30
9
3 replies
yup
2024-08-14 02:58
0
NiKo has a chance to be #3 this year, as Donk has been getting worse and not playing as many maps as the others.
2024-08-14 04:23
6
#67
Faceit premium user Faceit level 10  | 
NiKo | 
Greece Nickpask
NiKo has been the best player of the in the last 3 months. I don't see why he wouldn't be able to keep this up considering that Spirit are gonna miss Rio.
2024-08-14 13:31
0
#41
Faceit level 4  | 
NiKo | 
China HanzoHuang
Always believe in you
2024-08-14 01:41
0
with the start to the 2nd half of the year spirit has had, it could be one off but if they cant find their form again including Donk then the top 3 has opened up a bit more, I can easily see a Zywoo/Niko top 2 with m0nesy/Donk fighting for 3rd.
2024-08-14 02:42
2
YOU ARE ALREADY ONE OF THE GOAT GOAT
2024-08-14 02:43
2
my goat is fucking back man i knew he`d be back lets get it
2024-08-14 03:44
6
Goat
2024-08-14 04:54
2
#54
 | 
Russia Napste9
The best riffler is forever
2024-08-14 06:56
3
B2B cologne winner and MVP??
2024-08-14 08:29
1
#58
Faceit level 8  | 
NiKo | 
India ga7axy
My goat
2024-08-14 09:01
0
he needs a major tropy , a major mvp and 1st hltv placement in his cabinet so bad according to his words i really like to have these achievements bc he deserves them wish you best niko ;)
2024-08-14 10:17
4
I hope you win a major my goat cause you deserve it
2024-08-14 11:35
3
"Considered by some" bruh its undisputed in the pro scene shut up
2024-08-14 14:11
2
#72
Faceit level 10 Old school: User been here for more than 10 years  | 
 | 
United States eoNcs
the goat
2024-08-14 14:41
2
good, I mean he's still at a very high level and is a highly pogchamp rifler
2024-08-14 14:43
1
Too ez
2024-08-15 16:24
0
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