JD Gaming signs former Suning coach Chashao for 2021 LPL season

JD Gaming has announced the addition of head coach Shih “Chashao” Yi-Hao. 

Fans of the professional League of Legends scene have called the change a “buff” for JD Gaming. Chashao is a very talented coach who is best known for leading underdogs Suning to Worlds 2020. Before becoming Suning’s head coach in 2013, Chashao coached Flash Wolves. 

“Our order of Chashao has arrived! We look forward to the breakthroughs he will achieve with the team,” JD Gaming said on Twitter. 

Chashao announced he was leaving Suning three days ago. This came as a huge shock to League of Legends fans who had just watched Chashao bring Suning all the way to the Worlds 2020 grand finals after the team ended the 2020 LPL Spring Split in 11th place. Despite falling to DAMWON Gaming 3-1 in the final match of the season, Suning and Chashao were at a high point in their relationship.  

JD Gaming came in second in the 2020 LPL Spring and Summer Splits and entered Worlds with a 13-3 record. JD Gaming made it to the quarterfinals of Worlds and looked to be one of the teams to beat at the event, but fell to Suning. That makes this a case of “if you can’t beat ’em, join ’em.” There is no start date yet for the 2021 LPL season, but precedent suggests it will likely begin in mid-January.