Photo: LoL Esports
Several globalists who have represented Europe this year find themselves without a starting place in the LEC for the 2023 season… They have quickly gone from heroes to zeros. Among them, some will choose to wait on the bench, blocked by their contract jail. Others will prefer to go see other horizons to continue playing. Flaked would have thus made the choice to go down a level to find the LVP. But as one could foresee, European talents should also decide to go into exile in North America… It’s a loss for our region, but these professionals can hardly be blamed after Europe’s top teams left them out.
The worst part of this story is that the ADC in question might even end up playing LCS Academy… Wooloo does not only bring good news during transfer window periods.
UNF0RGIVEN: a promising season for nothing?
To be completely transparent, we were a bit skeptical when William “UNF0RGIVEN“Nieminen landed in the LEC at MAD Lions. The spring was not particularly reassuring with a 7th place and a lot of irregularity. But the summer was much sunnier and little by little, the Swedish ADC managed to convince us. On several occasions he snatched more experienced bottom lanes than him and his ability to carry impressed us. His performances brought him to the Worlds for his first year at the highest level, which is a great success in itself.
But despite his very encouraging season, the LEC seem to have turned their backs on him. MAD Lions would have decided to bet on Carzzy, an elder of the house. The other teams, for their part, would have favored other tracks… While the places were quickly filled, UNF0RGIVEN had no other choice to play but to go down to the ERL or go into exile in North America. Financially as sportingly, we can understand why the 2nd option seems to have been preferred. The LCS remain a major league that qualifies for the Worlds.
LCS and LCS Academy are not the same leagues!
But before talking about the Worlds, it would already be necessary that the Swedish ADC really plays in LCS. According to the leaker, UNF0RGIVEN should join the 100 Thieves organization. The concern is that at this hour we do not yet know if he would start with team one or with the academic team… According to rumors in the hallway, the organization would try to recruit Double lift, a botlane legend who remains very popular in NA. If the operation materializes, we imagine that the European will necessarily take a back seat…
In terms of exposure and maintenance of your level of play, it’s not the same thing to play in the LCS Academy. We hope that the Swede will find his account and we cross our fingers that he will come back to us quickly.