OG’s Dota 2 Roster Almost Had a Southeast Asian Player Instead of Ana
The star-studded OG roster that achieved victory at Dota 2’s The International in 2018 could have taken a different turn if things had gone differently. Anathan “ana” Pham, who played a crucial role in OG’s success, may have been replaced by a Southeast Asian player.
OG’s Rebuilding Process
OG’s Dota 2 division underwent a major rebuild during the competitive seasons of 2017 and 2018. Following ana’s departure at the end of 2017, OG had to find a suitable replacement. One of the players they considered was Talon’s Nuengnara “23savage” Teeramahanon.
23savage’s Chance with OG
23savage hinted at the possibility of joining OG back in 2018, and recently, N0tail, one of OG’s players, confirmed that 23savage was indeed high on their list of candidates.
The Decision and Outcome
During N0tail and Gorgc’s Dota 2 hub, a spectator mentioned 23savage’s potential to join OG but ultimately choosing to stay with T1, which led N0tail to reflect on the situation. N0tail admitted that they seriously considered going with 23savage but ultimately chose Ana. The decision was influenced by the fact that T1 was consistently improving, making it a more promising option at the time.
OG went on to win The International twice in 2018 and 2019 with Ana, while 23savage parted ways with T1 and joined Talon. Since then, Talon has become a top SEA team, achieving upsets against favorites like Gaimin, and securing an upper bracket slot in TI 2023’s main event.
Talon’s next challenge will be facing Liquid on the main stage when TI 2023 returns next week.
OG, Dota 2, The International, esports, roster, Ana, Southeast Asian player, rebuild, 23savage, Talon, N0tail, T1, Gaimin, TI 2023