This story appears in ESPN The Magazine's February 6 issue. Subscribe today!
WHAT DO YOU GET WHEN you put five teenage boys in a multimillion-dollar mansion to practice League of Legends for 10 hours a day? Bonding, not a lot of dating and very tired wrists. Ahead of the new League Championship Series, we offered anonymity to 33 of the top pros from the North American and European leagues for a high-def view of life beyond the computer screen.
If you could pick any player to be on your team, whom would you pick?
Faker: 42 percent (most popular answer)
Bjergsen: 18 percent
Reignover: 12 percent
Peanut: 12 percent
"Faker, because I'm a fanboy. He can sign my mouse pad."
Who is the last player you'd want on your team?
FORG1VEN: 15 percent (most popular answer)
"He's extremely toxic in a team environment. It's really hard to practice and stay motivated with a player on your team like that."
Do your parents approve of your career?
Yes: 27 percent
Yes, but not at first: 61 percent
One does, one doesn't: 12 percent
No: 0 percent
What is the longest time you've spent playing in one session?
Longest: 80 hours
Average: 21 hours
Are you in a relationship?
Yes: 33 percent
No: 67 percent
"I think the life of a pro player isn't fitting for a relationship, to be honest. You have to dedicate yourself to the game."
What is the best part about living in the team house?
"The best part about it is you feel like you're playing with your friends, not your business partners. You care about them, and they care about you."
"Team-building, performance, ease of access. No pleasurable parts, but I'm getting the best performance out of it."
What is the worst thing about living in the team house?
"When it's your first time in the team house, it's easy to get lonely. There are some players who don't speak English well, and they usually get homesick and want to go back to Korea."
"There is no personal space. When you have a bad day, after practice, you're sitting next to the guys you had a bad day with. There's no alone time."
What is your base salary?
North American average: $105,385
European average: €76,137 ($80,816)
Have you ever had an injury as a direct result of gaming? If so, what?
Yes: 24 percent
No: 76 percent
"I've had wrist pain but nothing too serious. I feel like in esports in general everything kind of wears down."
"When I play too much or if I sit wrong, I can easily get pain in my wrist."
Do you know players who take amphetamines and/or Ritalin to stay sharp for competition?
Yes: 27 percent
No: 73 percent
Have you ever seen a player compete while high or inebriated?
Yes: 21 percent
No: 79 percent
If you could have any professional athlete buy your team, whom would you pick?
Kobe Bryant: 12 percent
Rick Fox: 12 percent (most popular answers)
Allen Iverson: 6 percent
Would you have reservations about adding a female player to your team?
Yes: 27 percent
No: 73 percent
"If a female was to join my team, she would have to prove she was worth it more than a guy [in the same role]."
"If one of my teammates could be attracted to that female player, then I'd be opposed to it."
"No, if they're good enough, they're good enough. I don't think there is anything about a girl that I'd be hesitant to include in my team."
What is your craziest fan encounter?
"We were walking to a parking garage, and this dude wanted to take a picture of my [teammate's] hands (like different angles). We let him and helped him, it was kind of creepy; he said it was for a project or something. It was just weird."
"This lady came up to me and asked for me to sign her baby. I guess she was a huge fan, and the baby will be too. That baby got signed."
*Not all players answered every question. Percentages are rounded.