The 2023 League of Legends World Championship: Xayah and Maokai Dominate as Priority Picks
The 2023 League of Legends World Championship is well underway, and players from all over the world are embarking on their journey towards the coveted Summoner’s Cup. As the competition progresses, the professional meta is starting to take shape, with two champions emerging as the top picks, having a 100 percent presence in drafts during the play-in stage.
Xayah and Maokai have proven to be the dominant priority picks at Worlds, being either picked or banned in every single game played so far. Xayah, the Bladecaller of Runeterra, has been chosen in 72.2 percent of all games and boasts an impressive 69 percent win rate, according to League stats aggregate Oracle’s Elixir.
In the tournament, Xayah has been a significant asset for teams, already securing two pentakills in the first week. Notably, Team BDS’ AD carry Juš “Crownie” Marušič and GAM Esports’ marksman Nguyễn “Slayder” Linh Vương have showcased her potential by leading all champions in kills and dealing the most damage. Xayah has proven to be a game-changer in her matches.
On the other hand, Maokai has faced consistent bans throughout the tournament and has only seen action in four games. Although mostly played in the jungle, DetonatioN FocusMe did experiment with Maokai as a support, albeit unsuccessfully. Pro teams frequently ban Maokai due to his impactful presence in the mid-to-late stages of a match, making him challenging to counter.
Maokai brings durability to the team, able to protect his squishier teammates and initiate teamfights with his ultimate ability, Nature’s Grasp. This powerful tool can create space, force the enemy team to retreat, or engage from a distance, making it a highly valuable asset that cannot be allowed in the drafting phase.
As the tournament progresses, Xayah and Maokai are expected to remain popular picks. Xayah is favored by talented ADCs, while Maokai is considered one of the easiest junglers to play in any team composition. Expect these two champions to maintain their priority status in drafts as the World Championship continues into the Swiss stage next week.
League of Legends, World Championship, Xayah, Maokai, priority picks, meta, play-in stage, Bladecaller, Oracle’s Elixir, professional, bans, pentakills, AD carry, marksman, durability, teamfights, Nature’s Grasp, drafting phase, ADCs, junglers, Swiss stage.