100 Thieves had a disappointing end to what was to be a promising season for the organization, but 100T wasted no time preparing for the next stage of their VALORANT journey by locking down an important piece to the puzzle.
In an Aug. 14 post on X, 100 Thieves officially announced Anthony “Zikz” Gray has signed a contract extension with the VALORANT team, keeping him with the organization as the head coach until 2027. In a press release, the org said this is the “first of many steps for 100 Thieves to continue building championship-level rosters.”
Zikz is one of the bright minds of the North American VAL scene, having been part of the Evil Geniuses roster that won VCT Champions in 2023. “Tony is a rarity in the esports space.” Joseph Jang, VP of Esports for 100T, said in the press release. “There are few individuals in the scene that can maintain a world-class form across different titles.”
Although Champions 2024 is ongoing, the organization is wasting no time in building its program for the upcoming season. 100T fell short of expectations they had for themselves following a promising start to the season.
While 100T won the Stage 1 playoffs, qualifying for Masters Shanghai, they failed to capitalize on their international experience and fell short in the Stage 2 playoffs. This meant 100T could not qualify for Champions 2024 after failing to reach the top three and not having enough championship points. “My first year as a VALORANT head coach was a valuable learning experience,” Zikz said in the press release.
Zikz is considered one of the best North American coaches out there, having success across multiple titles. Before moving to VAL, Zikz saw success in League of Legends with Counter Logic Gaming, winning an LCS championship with the org and taking NA to their first Riot international final at MSI 2016.
