TSM receive backlash for 2023 NA Challengers League roster
Team SoloMid (TSM) is catching some recoil after sources revealed their 2023 NA Challengers League roster, formerly known as LCS Academy, comprised of mostly veterans.
Sources in touch with investigative journalist LCS Eevee on Twitter, revealed TSM's 2023 NA Challengers League roster. Three veterans being on this team is the main source of frustration for many. Backlash from the community and talent were shared alike.
[embed]https://twitter.com/LCS_Eevee/status/1595929272614793216[/embed]
Three names immediately jump out when taking a look at TSM's 2023 NA Challengers League roster. Kevin "Hauntzer" Yarnell, Dennis "Svenskeren" Johnsen, and Jason "WildTurtle" Tran are all seasoned players in their own right. Hauntzer has been playing professional League of Legends since 2013, while Svenskeren and WildTurtle have been playing professionally since 2011.
Veterans on a Challengers League is not a problem, in fact, having one (maybe two) is actually preferred. Players like Svenskeren or WildTurtle can bring invaluable knowledge to young rookies who may be starting out in the competitive scene. Notably, NA LCS veteran Darshan "Darshan" Upadhyaya fills this veteran role for Cloud 9's Challengers League roster.
TSM's case is not helped when you also bring mid laner Stephen "Triple" Li into the mix. To be clear, Triple is not a long-standing vet like the three aforementioned TSM Challengers League players. Regardless, Triple has been playing professionally since 2015, and is nowhere near a rookie.
Credit: Riot Games
It's easy to make a case as to why TSM's Challengers League roster may have some issues in terms of developing talent. On the flip-side, there may be legitimate reasons as to why TSM as an organization saw fit to stack this squad with veterans. After all, we have seen a handful of long-standing LCS talent make their way to academy. The aforementioned four players, Jonathan "Armao" Armao, Noh "Arrow" Dong-hyeon, and even Jesper "Zven" Svenningsen, for a time.
NA Challengers League has not even debuted yet - it remains to be seen how strong, or how improved the veterans will be from playing in this League. There is no official start date set for the NA Challengers League's debut. The tournament is confirmed to start some time in January 2023.
STACKING SOME VETERANS
Sources in touch with investigative journalist LCS Eevee on Twitter, revealed TSM's 2023 NA Challengers League roster. Three veterans being on this team is the main source of frustration for many. Backlash from the community and talent were shared alike.
[embed]https://twitter.com/LCS_Eevee/status/1595929272614793216[/embed]
Three names immediately jump out when taking a look at TSM's 2023 NA Challengers League roster. Kevin "Hauntzer" Yarnell, Dennis "Svenskeren" Johnsen, and Jason "WildTurtle" Tran are all seasoned players in their own right. Hauntzer has been playing professional League of Legends since 2013, while Svenskeren and WildTurtle have been playing professionally since 2011.
Veterans on a Challengers League is not a problem, in fact, having one (maybe two) is actually preferred. Players like Svenskeren or WildTurtle can bring invaluable knowledge to young rookies who may be starting out in the competitive scene. Notably, NA LCS veteran Darshan "Darshan" Upadhyaya fills this veteran role for Cloud 9's Challengers League roster.
TSM's case is not helped when you also bring mid laner Stephen "Triple" Li into the mix. To be clear, Triple is not a long-standing vet like the three aforementioned TSM Challengers League players. Regardless, Triple has been playing professionally since 2015, and is nowhere near a rookie.
ZOOMING OUT
Credit: Riot GamesIt's easy to make a case as to why TSM's Challengers League roster may have some issues in terms of developing talent. On the flip-side, there may be legitimate reasons as to why TSM as an organization saw fit to stack this squad with veterans. After all, we have seen a handful of long-standing LCS talent make their way to academy. The aforementioned four players, Jonathan "Armao" Armao, Noh "Arrow" Dong-hyeon, and even Jesper "Zven" Svenningsen, for a time.
NA Challengers League has not even debuted yet - it remains to be seen how strong, or how improved the veterans will be from playing in this League. There is no official start date set for the NA Challengers League's debut. The tournament is confirmed to start some time in January 2023.