It’s been a long season for the Philadelphia Fusion. Between illnesses, subs leaving for Korea, and stacked schedules, the Fusion have had a rough, but not an unsuccessful season. With the regular season now wrapped and playoffs just around the corner, fans are wondering if they are finally going to get a chance to see Philly’s newest acquisition play.
As part of the trade involving main tank player Fragi leaving the team, the Fusion acquired the young and hungry DPS formerly of the Guangzhou Charge. In the past Kyb has been unable to fully demonstrate his abilities thanks to the DPS hating GOATS meta, but hopefully, with the dawning of the role lock meta, things will be a little different.
Although he came to the Fusion fairly late in the season, fans are eager to see what this young gun has in store. Hopefully, Kyb is just what the doctor ordered for the Fusion, who has struggled recently in a more DPS heavy meta. As Kyb settles into the scene we thought it would be a good idea to check in with him and see how the transition is being handled.
The following interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Adam: What was the process of joining the Fusion like for you?
Kyb: the process was pretty smooth, all the way from just talking about the trade process to actually joining the team. I know several people on the team already, including coaches, for well over a year, Boombox, Neptuno, ChrisTFer, Hayes, even NamedHwi. I’ve known these guys for a long time, so I know a lot about how they work, and who they are as people, so it felt super easy to fit in.
I thought it would be kind of hard for me to move into the house since these guys are the big dogs, you know? These guys were grand finalists last year, but even the first day I moved in there, even though it was late at night everyone was really chill and we just laid around, hung out, played together, watch stuff together, it was just really easy to fit in.
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We are excited to announce the arrival of @KYB, who joins our roster from the @GZCharge!
Make sure to drop him a follow, wish him a belated Happy Birthday, and welcome him to the Fusion family! #IonThePrize pic.twitter.com/obuWMAnit1
Adam: How quick was the process of finding out you were in trade talks to actually step into the house as a new member?
Kyb: Well I think it was like just before the trade window was ending, during the Atlanta Homestead. I found out on the day we were going back, I think that was the day it was all sorted out. So I would say I was given like 1-5 days notice, that was the window of finding out and getting it all sorted before going off to the house. It was pretty quick, but I think it definitely worked out for both sides, both players and teams.
Adam: You played with both Coach Hayes and Boombox in World Cup 2018, how has this working history affected your ability to integrate with the team?
Kyb: Since I played with them in the World Cup, I know how they work and I really respect both of them, their opinions, and how they work through things,especially Hayes. I think he was the first coach I had that was at a really high standard at that time. So going into it, I already had a lot of respect for him, but during World Cup and now on Philly, I keep seeing more and more of how he works and I really really respect it.
I don’t know if it’s just something that other coaches don’t have, or if he’s on a higher level, but I really think he’s one of the best coaches in the league. He really knows how to push a player to the point they need to be in order to perform on stage.
Adam: Along with this trade you not only get a new team but a new city to represent and play in next year. How do you feel about the prospect of living and playing in Philadelphia as opposed to China for which you had been preparing?
Kyb: I didn’t really think about living in Philly that much, but I’ve thought about joining the team a lot. Even before season 1, Philly was the team I definitely wanted to be on. So after two years I’m finally here, and even though I don;t know much about the city of Philadelphia, I’m excited to be here and I’m really excited for next year.
Adam: Considering the length of time the Fusion has been playing together, what was the process of integrating like, and how do you build that synergy?
Kyb: It was really easy getting to know them because of our history and in-game it was a quick process as well because we all sort of know, or know of, each other, even the OWL players I hadn’t met. Carpe saw me in World cup last year, Eqo and I were both in EU and saw each other that way, it’s just all these different connections coming together. We’ve known each other all this time, so it’s very easy to just quickly get together and synergize.
Adam: What are the biggest differences in team environment between Guangzhou and Philadelphia?
Image credit Robert Paul for Blizzard entertainment.
Kyb: Not that much I guess besides, the fact that Guangzhou is mostly Chinese and Korean. Other than that both teams are pretty funny and just like to meme and hang around the house, in that sense they are very similar. When it comes to work they are pretty different, I guess it’s just two different styles of coaching in how they approach the game.
Adam: What are some of your personal goals now that you are on the Fusion?
Kyb: One of my personal goals with Philly is to work well with Eqo, he’s one of the players I respected the most. Seeing him in season 1 and Grand Finals, I think he’s the best flex DPS in the game. It’s crazy how good his mechanics are and his ability to lead the team at the same time. I definitely want to watch him closely, learn, and make my playstyle a lot more like his.
Adam: Any words of greeting for your new fans in Philly?
Kyb: I’m excited to be joining the Philadelphia Fusion!. I know it’s late in the season, but I’m really looking forward to meeting all the fans when we go to the finals since I’m sure we will be going. I’ll see you all there.