The Next Generation of League of Legends Teams: Building for the Future
Somewhere, the next great League of Legends team is waiting for the perfect moment to make their move in the chaotic free agency period. While powerhouses like G2, Team Liquid, and Misfits battle it out for top talent, these up-and-coming teams are patiently strategizing to create a roster that will evolve and become champions in the coming years.
Or maybe, tradition is just a fallacy. Maybe the rapidly changing landscape of esports demands that teams make the most of their star players while they’re at their peak. Perhaps taking bold steps during free agency is the only way to compete with other World Championship contenders.
We won’t know for sure which approach is the winning formula until years later. The past can’t accurately predict success in the game as it has undergone significant transformations in the last five years. Teams at the bottom of the league standings have little to guide them. However, there are a few examples of successful strategies that have worked in building a championship-quality League team from scratch.
Being Realistic
Building a team is like buying a house: you need to have a realistic budget. Teams at the bottom cannot afford to overestimate their own talent or the speed at which they can compete.
An illustrative example is Echo Fox’s experience in 2017. After a tough first year in the NA LCS, they believed that building around mid laner Henrik “Froggen” Hansen, without any visa issues, would result in something special. To that end, they signed Jang “Looper” Hyeong-seok from EDG to strengthen their lanes. However, they misjudged their championship potential. The team struggled throughout the year, and by the end of summer, Froggen and Looper were benched to make way for younger talent.
This is not a weakness unique to Echo Fox. Many teams have loaded up on top free agents, only to see their plans fail: Fnatic with Fabian “Febiven” Diepstraten in 2017, LGD with Jang “MaRin” Gyeong-hwan in 2016, every team that tried to fit Chae “Piglet” Gwang-jin into a North American bot lane.
It’s not just about star players either; teams need to have a comprehensive understanding of their entire roster, including any hidden gems.
Timing Matters
Even when Echo Fox turned to younger players in 2017, they still missed the target. They didn’t make the changes early enough to fully assess their potential. Players like jungler Jonathan “Grig” Armao only had a few games in the LCS. Furthermore, they didn’t go far enough; their roster consisted of a mix of rookies and veterans, like support Austin “Gate” Yu.
Timing is crucial in projects like these. Young players need time to develop chemistry and improve. Griffin’s core players had been playing together for over a year, grinding for victories, before they entered the LCK and dominated the scene last summer. It’s easier to make adjustments at the margins, as Vitality did with jungler Mateusz “Kikis” Szkudlarek last summer.
Griffin’s trust in their young players was another factor contributing to their success. With four teenagers, they have the opportunity to grow into their roles over the next few years, while other teams scramble to keep up.
So, how much time should a young roster be given? Only a team’s management and coaching staff can answer that question. However, in franchised leagues like the NA LCS and LEC, teams should have an extended timeline. Teams like Golden Guardians, FlyQuest, and OpTic won’t achieve instant success even with major free agency moves. This is likely to be the case in 2020 as well.
But if, during this process, they find a group that works well together, they could be just one or two players away from something extraordinary. That’s when it’s time to rejoin the free agency frenzy and make a run for the championship.
Winning a title in competitive League of Legends is challenging. Only a few teams have done it as star players tend to dominate the leagues for years. However, that doesn’t mean other teams should stop trying. By being realistic about their chances, exercising patience, and executing impeccable timing in roster construction, even the worst teams can become champions in due time.