SK Telecom T1 Signs Lee “Duke” Ho-seong as Top Laner
The reigning League of Legends World Champions, SK Telecom T1, had to find a replacement for their previous top laner, Jang “MaRin” Gyeong-hwan, who left the team during the off-season. They have now signed Lee “Duke” Ho-seong for the position, according to reports from Korean site Fomos.
Duke, 20, entered the competitive scene in 2013 as a member of KT Rolster Bullets. He made his debut at the IEM Season VIII World Championship, helping KT win the title without losing a single game. In 2014, he joined NaJin Black Sword and then played for NaJin e-mFire in 2015. Despite his team finishing sixth and missing the playoffs, Duke earned the Spring season MVP award in the Champions league.
Duke is known for his ability to carry a team, as demonstrated by his MVP award. He is also capable of making impressive plays:
Of course, Duke has big shoes to fill with MaRin leaving. MaRin’s MVP award at the World Championships was not just for his versatility in playing different champions but also for his role as the shot caller and in-game leader for SK Telecom. Duke may not be able to fill that role, but with experienced players like Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok and Bae “bengi” Seong-woong on the team, SKT’s decision-making may not be affected.
Duke may not have the same level of recognition as other Korean top laners, but that is mainly because he did not play at the recent World Championship. However, his MVP award shows that he contributed to his team’s success. With the support staff and lineup of SK Telecom T1, Duke will have the opportunity to shine.
The loss of MaRin may be disappointing for SK Telecom, but they will still have a strong presence in the top lane for the start of the 2016 season.
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SK Telecom T1, League of Legends, Duke, MaRin, top laner, MVP, World Championships.