During the preseason, League of Legends fans expect roster moves, trades, and whole new rosters to form. It’s a time when rookies are promoted from academy teams and players travel overseas to find a new frontier. But even once the Spring Split begins, League of Legends teams across the world continue to make drastic changes, with some more successful than others.
Here’s a closer look at some of the 2020 roster moves that have shaken up teams, and entire leagues.
DragonX add Keria
Not many people were paying attention to Ryu “Keria” Min-seok going into the 2020 season. He had previously been a trainee at DragonX, mostly due to his young age. But now that he’s able to play, LCK fans have started to take notice of the rookie player. He’s aggressive for a support, allowing his team’s carries to make quite an impact.
Counter Logic Gaming sign Pobelter
It’s hard to forget Eugene “Pobelter” Park’s emotional rant ahead of the 2020 season, which came after he realized that he wouldn’t have a team heading into the Spring Split. This made his mid-season signing with Counter Logic Gaming even more exciting for LCS fans. Pobelter’s positive attitude and outspoken nature might be enough to help the organization turn its season around.
Afreeca Freecs welcomes Mystic to the squad
After finally proving himself on Team WE in China, Jin “Mystic” Seong-jun is back in South Korea to compete in the LCK as a part of Afreeca Freecs. One of the best team fighters in the entire league, Mystic is often the reason his team comes through with a victory. The team is currently in fourth place in the LCK, proving that they have what it takes to take on the best teams in the region.
Team Liquid choose Broxah over Xmithie
Mads “Broxah” Brock-Pedersen’s visa issues seemed to be the catalyst for Team Liquid’s downward spiral this season. There have been other problems since, suggesting that Liquid’s issues ran deeper than that.
A lot of fans remain upset with Liquid for trading Jake “Xmithie” Puchero to Immortals and blame that move for the team’s woes. Either way, this move had a big impact on the LCS. Liquid went in as the favorite to win the split, but has instead left a vacuum that Cloud9, FlyQuest and Team SoloMid are looking to fill.
Misfits Gaming introduce Razork to the world
Ivan “Razork” Martin Dias flew under the radar ahead of the 2020 LEC Spring Split. Even though he wasn’t too impressive during his amateur career, Razork has helped turn Misfits into a real contender in the league. This is mostly thanks to his aggressive pathing, which makes him stand out on the rift.
Aphromoo shakes up Dignitas
Zaqueri “Aphromoo” Black has proven that he and his teammates are not “washed up” veterans. Though many fans criticized Dignitas for unraveling the successful Clutch Gaming roster of 2019, the team has looked strong so far. Currently in the top four with Team Liquid, TSM, and Cloud9, Aphromoo’s improved support performance turned the public’s perception around fast after a rough season with 100 Thieves.
100 Thieves gives Ssumday a chance once again
After spending the Summer Split on the 100T academy team, Chan-ho “Ssumday” Kim is back and out for blood. The Korean top laner has continued to keep audiences screaming with his aggressive playstyle, which saw him score an impressive triple kill against Team Liquid earlier in the split. It’s those moments that have kept 100T on everyone’s radar and allowed Ssumday to prove his worth this year.
