The first half of 2024 has already made history, and professional Counter-Strike 2 players have gone on a well-deserved break. During this period, we witnessed Natus Vincere's victory at the first Major in CS2 history, the rise of donk's talent, and a high level of competition. In this article, we will talk about the 20 best CS2 players in the first half of 2024 according to Bo3.gg.
How the Best Players of the First Half of 2024 in CS2 Were Determined
To determine the best CS2 player in the first half of 2024, we analyzed the statistics of all esports players who played at least five out of ten top-tier tournaments. The following individual statistics at S-tier events were considered:
- Player rating
- KDR (Kill-Death Ratio)
- DPR (Deaths per Round)
- ADR (Average Damage per Round)
- Prizes at competitions
- MVP/EVP awards
#20. Ihor "w0nderful" Zhdanov
Like the entire NAVI team, w0nderful lacks particular stability. At one tournament, the team arrives in their best form and reaches the finals, while at another, they seem to forget how to shoot in CS2. In the first half of 2024, Igor played 62 maps at S-tier events and finished them with an average rating of 6.3.
#19. Keith "NAF" Markovic
NAF is one of two Team Liquid players in 2024 who demonstrated a decent level of play. He is bound to be with what was happening in the team, as the ambitions of the new roster were sky-high. Now, the club faces further roster changes.
#18. Kaike "KSCERATO" Cerato
One of Brazil's most outstanding players in CS history continues to represent FURIA Esports. He has repeatedly declined offers from top European and North American clubs. KSCERATO decided not to leave his comfort zone and not to join an international roster. Kaike risks remaining one of the best riflers in the world who never won Major tournaments.
#17. Olek "hades" Miskiewicz
In 36 maps played at S-tier championships, hades has a rating of 6.6. Despite this, he was still removed from ENCE's active roster, likely due to the Pole's inconsistency. In one match, he would literally destroy opponents, while in another, the team had to play 4vs5. As of the publication of this article, it is unknown where Olek will continue his career.
#16. Nicolai "dev1ce" Reedtz
After switching to the IGL role, dev1ce continues to be one of the team's best players. Even though there are no trophies, Astralis' performance under his leadership has noticeably improved. Nicolai's rating for the first half of 2024 is 6.3, with ADR and KPR figures of 75.6 and 0.69, respectively. He also has two EVPs and four third places in tournaments.
#15. Russel "Twistzz" Van Dulken
The first half of 2024 hasn’t been Twistzz’s strongest period individually, but he was still one of the best in his team. The move back to Liquid implied new challenges in his career, and he got them in full: missing the Major, failing tournament after tournament, and roster reshuffles. Rumor has it that Russel might take on the IGL role, and if that happens, only time will tell if it's the right decision or not.
#14. Lotan "Spinx" Giladi
Spinx continues to remain in ZywOo's shadow, but everyone has long understood how important the Israeli's contribution to Team Vitality's success is. In the first half of 2024, Spinx was twice recognized as an EVP of tournaments.
#13. Jimi "Jimpphat" Salo
Jimpphat is the future not only of the MOUZ team but of the entire Finnish professional CS2 scene. He is only 17 years old but already shows an incredible level of individual play, and most importantly, Jimi does it consistently. His average rating in 2024 is 6.3. In addition, he has one EVP, two trophies, one second and one third place each at events.
#12. Martin "stavn" Lund
Stavn has fully adapted to Astralis. Lund continues to demonstrate a stable level of CS, allowing his team to be confident that he will clutch a round when needed. Stavn's average rating in the first half of 2024 at S-tier events is 6.4. He also has two EVPs and four third places in tournaments.
#11. Ismailcan "XANTARES" Dörtkardeş
XANTARES had the best period of his career with Eternal Fire. The best player in Turkish CS history virtually single-handedly won the CCT Global Finals. Ismailcan finished the half-year with an average rating of 6.5.
#10. Justinas "jL" Lekavicius
After NAVI’s victory at the PGL Major Copenhagen 2024, jL significantly slowed down. He became one of the worst players in NAVI at several subsequent tournaments. After a wake-up call from opponents, Justinas is gradually returning to form. The MVP of the first Major in CS2 history finished the first half of 2024 with a rating of 6.3.
#9. Adam "torzsi" Torzsás
Next in our top is another MOUZ player, and it's not surprising. Torzsi played the half-year at his usual level, earning an average rating of 6.4. In addition, he has one EVP, two trophies, one second and one third place each at events.
#8. Nikola "NiKo" Kovač
NiKo has long shown unreal individual statistics and is recognized as, if not the best, then one of the best riflers in professional scene history. However, the transition to CS2 somewhat undermined his form, and the Bosnian is working hard to return to his best shape.
#7. Dorian "xertioN" Berman
XertioN became the best player in MOUZ's roster in the first half of 2024, a team that won two trophies. This is undoubtedly the best period in the Israeli player's career so far. He finished the half-year with an average rating of 6.6.
#6. David "frozen" Čerňanský
Frozen has fully adapted to FaZe Clan and continues to be an example of stability and confidence, often saving the team in difficult moments. It seems he has always been on the professional scene, but in fact, his best years are still ahead, along with his new club.
#5. Helvijs "broky" Saukants
Broky is the most important player in the FaZe Clan roster this year. His talent, skill, and consistency make him an indispensable link in the team. Over the past six months, Helvijs earned an average rating of 6.5 over 86 maps played at S-tier championships.
#4. Dmitry "sh1ro" Sokolov
Moving to Team Spirit allowed sh1ro to find the stability that was lacking in Cloud9. He fit into the team perfectly and continues to play consistently at the highest level. Sokolov played 56 maps at S-tier events and finished them with an average rating of 6.6. He also averaged 76.11 damage and 0.75 kills per round.
#3. Mathieu "ZywOo" Herbaut
ZywOo was the best player of 2023, but in 2024 he lacks consistency. He can single-handedly win a match or completely fall out of the game. Despite this, Mathieu managed to become MVP once and EVP twice.
#2. Ilya "m0NESY" Osipov
M0NESY is consistently among the best players in the world in CS. He could have ranked higher, but the lack of stability in the G2 roster has consequences. One player alone cannot carry the team. Despite this, his average rating over the past six months is 6.9.
#1. Daniil "donk" Kryshkovets
Donk is one of the main contenders for the title of the best player of 2024. Many thought his outstanding performances would wane after a few successful months, but that did not happen. This shows that Daniil has found his rhythm and is confidently moving towards his goal. Donk's average rating in the first half of 2024 is 7.3.
These are the main contenders for the top 20 CS2 players by the end of 2024. The top players need to demonstrate consistency, while the others still have a chance to catch up and surpass them. We are in for a very interesting continuation of the season!
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