MAD Lions Makes Roster Change in NA VALORANT Challengers League
After starting the first split of the 2023 NA VALORANT Challengers League with two losses, MAD Lions has decided to make a significant roster change. Former 100T duelist William “Will” Cheng has been moved to the bench to explore other options.
According to Till Werdermann, the director of franchise operations at OverActive Media, the decision was made based on team fit and the team’s needs at this time. The decision was made just hours before MAD Lions’ week three match against M80 Esports.
The move comes as a surprise considering the high praise that Will received from OverActive Media just a month ago. However, his performance in MAD Lions’ losses to TSM and Disguised has been below par. In the first five maps of league play, Will has had a K/D ratio of 0.91, has only won one-third of his opening duels, and has been unsuccessful in clutch opportunities.
For MAD Lions, winning their upcoming match against M80 is crucial to avoid a losing record in the first Challengers split. A top-four finish in their group will secure them a spot in the Mid-Season Invitational, which is necessary to make the playoffs.
As of now, a replacement starter has not been announced.