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Paper Rex's PatMen: From basketball player to first Pinoy VALORANT champion
Filipino Valorant player Patrick "PatMen" Mendoza, 23, from Angat, Bulacan, became the first Filipino to win a global Valorant championship with Paper Rex at VALORANT Masters: Toronto in June 2025.
He also helped Paper Rex reclaim the VCT Pacific trophy in Chiba, Japan.
Mendoza transitioned to professional Valorant in March 2025 after a successful basketball career was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Despite no prior experience with first-person shooter games, he dedicated himself to improving his skills in Valorant.
He was inspired by his brother to pursue the game.
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