NS named the best Dota 2 player of the year, and it wasn’t Yatoro

Yaroslav "NS" Kuznetsov, streamer and former esports player, declared Stanislav "Malr1ne" Potarok, the midlaner for Team Falcons, as the best player of 2024.

He shared this opinion during a Twitch stream.

"In my opinion, the best player of the year is Malr1ne. But that’s just how I see it. It’s hard to name the best player because there are so many great ones. As donk recently said, 'To be the best player, you need to play in the best team; otherwise, you won’t be able to shine.' There are amazing players who just didn’t have a great year with their teams. Anyway, let’s go with Malr1ne"

NS emphasized that it was difficult to choose just one player, as many outstanding players struggled with team performance in 2024. However, he believes Malr1ne deserves the title, having consistently delivered excellent results throughout the year and establishing himself as one of the best midlaners in the world. NS also considers Team Falcons the best team of the year, though he acknowledged strong competition from Team Liquid and Gaimin Gladiators.

"Look, naming the best team is really tough because Gladiators, Liquid, and Falcons all did great, of course. But I think… let’s just say Team Falcons, alright?"

It’s worth noting that Team Falcons, with Malr1ne, won seven tournaments in 2024. The team also placed in the top three at Riyadh Masters 2024 and finished in the top four at The International 2024. Over this period, the team earned more than $2.8 million in prize money.

Previously, NS mentioned that he would like to play on the same team as Magomed "Collapse" Khalilov.