When Rookies Teach the Veteran: MP the King’s Twisted Minds Lesson
In the first week of MPL Philippines Season 16, Twisted Minds emerged not just as the surprise contender, but as the team that toppled a giant—Team Falcons. At the heart of this charge is MP the King, the veteran jungler whose journey through the MPL has often been marked by instability, shifting rosters, and the weight of carrying teammates through fleeting runs.
When asked what he fears most this season, his answer revealed less about his own struggles and more about the scars of others.
“Ayaw ko nang maranasan yung umiyak ang mga kakampi ko,” he said quietly, as if the memory itself carried weight. “Tatlong season na sa MPL na pabago-bago mga kakampi ko, ayaw ko na maranasan na umiyak sila. Gusto ko sana this season maganda ang run namin para next season, kami-kami pa rin.”
It is not the pressure of facing the strongest teams that unsettles him—he has already done that, and just this week, he has beaten them. What troubles him is the memory of teammates breaking under the weight of failure. He has lived through fractured lineups, seasons of inconsistency, and the heartbreak of rosters dissolved too soon.
What the Rookies Taught MPL Veteran MP the King
Surprisingly, as the “veteran” in Twisted Minds, he admits he is not the one doing the teaching.
“Hindi ko sila pinapayuhan, sila nga nagpapayo sa akin!” he laughed.
“Sinasabi nila Nosia, Sionn, at Caloy sa akin na wag kong isipin na malalakas mga kalaban namin, pantay-pantay lang daw kami, at asiman ko lang daw kung gusto ko. Kasi noong nakaraang season, mayroon din akong kaba maglaro, takot akong magkamali, pero noong nakausap ko sila, hindi ako nagkaroon ng pressure na parang hindi nila ako huhusgahan kapag nagkamali ako. Nice try lang kapag nagkamali, taops success, edi nice.”
That simplicity—of playing without fear, of mistakes being treated as “nice try” instead of failures—has freed him. It is rare to hear of a veteran leaning on rookies for guidance, but in Twisted Minds, the roles blur. Everyone contributes to building a culture of fearlessness.
And perhaps that is why, for the first time, MP the King feels at home even at the very start of the season.
“Siguro mas napaaga,” he said. “Naramdaman ko naman ito sa mga dati kong kakampi, pero iyon nga lang, noong playoffs ko lang nahanap. Ngayon, pasimula pa lang ang season, komportable at confident na agad ako sa kanila.”
What was once elusive—comfort, confidence, belonging—has now arrived early. In Twisted Minds, MP the King is not just playing for wins. He is playing to make sure no one cries again.
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