Former MAD Lions jungler Shad0w reportedly joining LGD Gaming
Former MAD Lions jungler Zhiqiang “Shad0w” Zhao is looking at a potential comeback to the professional scene, as he is reportedly joining LGD Gaming in the LPL.
After taking a break in the most recent spring split, the young jungler might be making his debut in the top Chinese competition. Shad0w has Chinese residency, which means that he can join the league without taking up an import slot. After Shad0w has played his whole career in Europe for teams including MAD Lions and mousesports, it seems that he is now making a big move to become the first pro player to play in both the LEC and LPL.
The rumors started on the Chinese site Weibo, saying that an official announcement from LGD was expected soon. The Chinese organization is one of the biggest in League of Legends and has a long track record in the LPL. The last time LGD won an LPL title was back in 2015, with names such as Lee “Flame” Ho-jong and Gu “Imp” Seung-bin on the team.
Since then, LGD has had some shaky performances but has continued trying to reach the top of the LPL. The 2021 LPL Spring Split resulted in a horrible 4-12 record for LGD, placing the team far away from playoff contention. With the summer split coming right up, it’s no surprise that the team is looking to bring in new firepower.
What happened to Shad0w?
Shad0w took a break after a poor performance at the 2020 World Championship, and it’s hard to predict how well Shad0w will be playing now. In the LEC with MAD Lions, he was performing well and looked like one of the best rookies. Unfortunately, his performance at Worlds wasn’t as impressive and this led to him leaving the team.
In the LEC, Shad0w was a jungler who took initiative in the early game and showcased great performances on mechanical junglers such as Lee Sin and Nidalee. This will likely be valuable for LGD, as the LPL revolves a lot around aggressive play and early-game advantages. In the right light, Shad0w could be the guy to enable the rest of the LGD roster.
While nothing is official yet, it’s expected that Shad0w will be announced as the LGD jungler soon. The 2021 LPL Summer Split kicks off in June.
Read Also
Esports Betting
Top Esports beats Team WE in the LPL, qualifies for MSI 2026
Wasif Ahmed
Against all odds, Top Esports faced Team WE in the LPL upper bracket final. Both teams fought over a spot for the Mid-Season Invitational that everyone expected Anyone’s Legend, Bilibili Gaming, or JD Gaming to claim. In the end, TES paused WE’s Cinderella story as they beat them 3-0. Before this series, World Elite had defeated two LPL powerhouses in BLG and AL. Against TES, though, they suddenly lost all ...
League of Legends
G2 Esports complete comeback against Karmine Corp to win LEC Spring 2026
Hannan Mundia
After a fairly smooth split, G2 Esports emerged victorious in the 2026 LEC Spring split grand final by making a comeback against Karmine Corp. The 2026 LEC Spring split has finally concluded. With spots at MSI and the Esports World Cup on the line, every professional European team gave it their all to get as far as they could. While most teams fell quickly, Karmine Corp and G2 Esports managed ...
Esports Betting
G2 Esports vs Karmine Corp 2026 LEC Spring: Best odds, picks
Hannan Mundia
The 2026 LEC Spring split is about to conclude, with G2 Esports and Karmine Corp facing off one last time to see which team qualifies for the Esports World Cup. While both teams have done well to make it to this LEC split’s grand final, only one team can be crowned the victor. With a direct ticket to the EWC on the line, there’s a strong chance that G2’s dominating ...
Esports Betting
MKOI vs Karmine Corp 2026 LEC Spring betting preview: Best odds and picks
Hannan Mundia
Two LEC spots are open for this year’s Mid-Season Invitational, and MKOI will battle against Karmine Corp to determine which team grabs it. The ongoing LEC Spring split is almost done, and only three teams remain. While G2 Esports has already established itself as the strongest so far with a guaranteed spot in the grand final, Movistar KOI and Karmine Corp will battle it out on the big stage for ...
League of Legends
LCK 2026 Road to MSI: Teams, format, and schedule
Hannan Mundia
With the LCK 2026 Rounds 1-2 complete, the qualified teams will battle it out in Road to MSI. With two spots for the 2026 Mid-Season Invitational and one spot for the 2026 Esports World Cup on the line, here’s everything to know about the LCK 2026 Road to MSI. Six teams have qualified for Road to MSI, but only two MSI spots are available for this region. While powerhouse teams ...
Esports Betting
KT Rolster vs T1 2026 LCK Season Rounds 1-2: Best odds and picks
Hannan Mundia
KT Rolster and T1 will face off in the last week of 2026 LCK Rounds 1-2 to potentially improve their starting position at Road to MSI. KT Rolster and T1 have both had their moment to shine in the ongoing 2026 LCK split. With one week remaining, the two teams will battle against each other for a chance at acquiring second place and starting with a significant advantage in the ...
Esports Betting
EWC officially heads to Paris for 2026 as early reports confirmed
Michael Hassall
The Esports World Cup 2026 will take place in Paris, France from July later this year as per an new announcement by the EWC organizers, the Esports Foundation. Revealed in a post on their official social media, and an accompanying release and blog post, the announcement confirmed earlier speculation that the event would move location due to the “regional situation” around Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Here’s the info: The Esports World ...
