What does it take to be a great player in Rocket League?
Scoring? No, everyone can do that. Solid defense? Any decent player can learn to play defense. Reading the game? Yes, that's part of it, but what does it take to be one of the truly great players?
Results.
Results tell you how someone has done and show what they have worked to overcome. Results show you how they shape the teams they're on.
Now, what if there were a player who achieved solid results on multiple teams against evolving opposition since the beginning of competitive Rocket League? That's a great player. That person is Cazaz911, now known as Moses.
Humble beginnings
Moses began his rise to the elite level of Rocket League from humble beginnings, starting on the team "Backyard Brazilians" in ESL Go4 Cup #3 where he carried the team to the quarterfinals. The roster changed a week later, adding Waze One and Edwind; Moses carried the new squad to the quarterfinals of MLG Season 1 before falling out to Kings of Urban.
While these results might not be the most impressive, they signaled a transitional period for Moses, who was climbing the ladder quickly while playing with the likes of Edwind and other more established pros. Moses continued to make a name for himself, biding his time and looking for his shot to move to the top level.
Meanwhile, Kings of Urban battled Cosmic Aftershock (now iBuyPower Cosmic) for the top spot in North America and shocked the Rocket League world by defeating Cosmic in the quarterfinals of MLG Season 1. After the victory over Cosmic, jaws dropped again when Kings star player Gambit decided to leave, opening a spot that was begging for an up-and-coming talent to fill.
Moses and the Kings
As the newly anointed Kings searched for its third teammate, the general consensus was that the replacement would be an established top player. When the new third was announced, it was not a longtime top-tier veteran; it was Moses, the up-and-comer. As it turned out, he would go on to help elevate Kings of Urban to new heights.
From Nov. 4 of last year onward, Kings of Urban continued its ascent to the top of the North American Rocket League scene, powered in part by the addition of Moses. On Feb. 17, it happened: Cosmic Aftershock, still the stalwart gods of North American Rocket League, fell to second in the Power Rankings behind the team now living up to its name as Kings. For Moses, simply knowing that he was "a part of the best team in a region" was his proudest moment in competitive Rocket League.
Wearing the crown
The Kings' rise to the top was no surprise, as it had been slowly building for two months. What was surprising was the longevity of its reign. Kings of Urban, fueled by Moses, led the North American scene for 51 days, demonstrating why it was the best team in North America and possibly the world. Moses had made a career of driving teams to the apex of the Rocket League scene, and for 51 days he enjoyed his perch atop a well-earned throne.
Alas, all good things must come to an end, and this case was no exception. When the Kings fell, it fell hard, and within 24 hours of its fall Moses parted ways with the team. The near-instantaneous combustion of North America's dominant team would have ended others' careers; instead, it inspired Moses to seek a new challenge.
The journeyman
Five days. That's how long it took for Moses to find a new team after he left Kings of Urban on April 13. Joining Genesis alongside Quinn Lobdell and Pluto, he dropped down from a top two team in North America to a lower top-10 team, seeking to establish himself again. Genesis began the same rise that the Kings experienced with Moses; it rose slowly but consistently towards the lofty peaks of North American Rocket League.
Coming into Season 1 of the RLCS (Rocket League Championship Series), the rise was notable in that, by picking up Moses, a team that would have been hard-pressed to qualify for the RLCS became a team expected to make the top four, which it did easily. It was no surprise that teams that fielded Moses tended to rise to the top of the scene; in RLCS Online Finals he was the sixth-best in saves (averaging 1.77 a game) and seventh in assists (averaging .62 a game).
Despite Genesis' great improvement, Moses soon left the team, saying, "I left Genesis mainly because of play-style differences. Quinn and Pluto are great players, also good guys outside of the game, but it was difficult for me to play around their styles of play." The play-style issue influenced his decision to move to the Exodus roster, joining Turtle and GarrettG. "After playing some scrims with GarrettG and Turtle I knew that we would do really well in RLCS Qualifier 2 but also could compete highly internationally when the RLCS LAN comes around," Moses said.
His new teammates did not disappoint, flying through the second open qualifier and looking like a top contender moving into the second RLCS group stage. In the second group stage, they easily qualified for the LAN International Live Finals in August, with Moses demonstrating his skill as one of the tournament's best players and a defensive rock.
A fresh start with great expectations
Moving to a new roster is nothing shocking for Moses; it's just another roster to work with all the way to the top of Rocket League. The Exodus roster comes off of a third-place finish at the RLCS Qualifier 1 NA Online Final, one better than Moses' Genesis, and looks to be a prime contender to move to the top two. GarrettG from Exodus believes Moses has the experience and general skill necessary to take this lineup all the way up. Moses says that he believes he will bring a stable, experienced base to the roster that will allow them to continue their growth.
With the competition only getting tougher at the top end of the competitive Rocket League scene, there is one question on everyone's lips: Can Moses do it again? I think he can, and that he is the final piece for every team to make that last jump to the very top.
How many players are truly great in any sport?
The answer: Only a few who have proven themselves time and time again. How many players are truly great on multiple teams against an ever-changing field of competition? Even fewer. Now, what if there were a player who has been great with one team, and then been just as good with multiple other teams? That would be one of the greatest players of all time. Moses is that player; through his career, there has been one constant: where he goes, success follows. You could call Moses the Zlatan Ibrahimovic of Rocket League, a journeyman who seemingly carries success in a bottle with him.
The journey from the humble Cazaz911 to the revelation that is Moses has been a successful one that is showing no signs of stopping.