An update to Riot’s Esports Global Contract Database has revealed that Jian “Uzi” Zi-Hao is now a free agent.
The talented veteran’s contract with Royal Never Give Up expired today and there’s been no public announcement regarding an extension. For now, Uzi is a free agent, and he has yet to come forward with any statement on future plans.
Uzi’s uncertain future in pro League of Legends
Uzi has long been one of the best AD Carries in the world. He was the first player to reach 3,000 kills in their career and he held that kil record for many years. Song “Rookie” Eui-jin got a pentakill on March 31, putting him at 3,150. With nine more kills than Uzi (3,141), Rookie took the crown for most professional kills in League of Legends.
Despite his record being broken, Uzi has been considered one of the best ADCs in the world due to his technical profiency and laning mechanics. Fans were excited to see him and the rest of the Royal Never Give Up crew take on their competition in the 2020 Spring Split, but that never came to be.
Uzi never competed in the LPL this year due to ongoing injuries he’s been dealing with over the last few years. He opened up about it in a documentary produced by Nike and the LPL, describing how he can’t play for more than a couple hours at a time. That isn’t ideal for a professional League of Legends player, who often scrim and stream for up to 12 hours a day.
Uzi explained how the pain started at his right shoulder blade and shot down his entire arm. A professional had told him that his arms were similar to that of a “40 to 50 year old.”
Due to his injury, Uzi sat out of the Spring Split. RNG went on with former Flash Wolves player Lu “Betty” Yu-Hung. They ultimately finished in fourth, which is nothing to scoff at in such a competitive league, but most fans missed seeing Uzi’s hype plays and big-brained strategies.
Right now, it’s not clear what Uzi’s future in professional League of Legends looks like. Without any official news from either party, it seems quite possible that RNG doesn’t plan on extending his contract for the Summer Split. It’s still a possibility, but it could be unlikely due to the lack of updates and Uzi’s ongoing health problems.
It’s possible that another team will sign him, including teams from other regions looking for a flash addition. But it’s also possible that Uzi will retire from League of Legends, something that has been hinted at before.
