In League of Legends, the GOAT dialog at all times begins and ends with one title. The race for #2, nonetheless, is a totally totally different matter.
On April 26, T1 help participant Ryu “Keria” Min-seok formally prolonged the contract with the group till 2029, a deal that places him on the identical contract timeline because the GOAT Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok.
His affect and skill, nonetheless, have additionally reignited one other dialog: is Keria already the second-best League of Legends participant of all time behind Faker? Or does he must show himself much more?
Keria Has One of many Most Adorned Data a Professional Would Ever Ask For
Whereas the votes for one of the best help are unanimous, the neighborhood has been debating whether or not he needs to be thought of the #2 behind his teammate, Faker.
“I believe he has a ok CV to be known as the second-best participant to ever contact the keyboard. It’s really insane {that a} help participant has reached this stage,” stated a consumer on Reddit.
Keria is without doubt one of the few gamers that has been to each world championship since becoming a member of skilled play. Wanting on the outcomes, his file turns into much more spectacular: one high 8 end, one high 4, a runner-up, and three world championships, with one LCK title, one Esports World Cup title, and a number of other runner-up finishes within the home league.
Keria is Constructed In another way…
Historically talking, the help position has at all times been one of the vital tough roles to judge in League of Legends. Whilst you can check out the primary stats for all the opposite roles, the nice help gamers typically get neglected until you might be actually capable of have these spotlight moments. Effectively, Keria constructed these moments himself.
Over the previous years, T1 has been notoriously recognized for taking part in by its jungle-mid-support trio, and the latter has at all times performed a key position within the group’s playmaking and execution.
Up to now two championships, Keria would at all times look to innovate the meta, at all times main the cost with unconventional picks and making them work. In 2024, he used Bard and Pyke in essential sequence, such because the Regional Finals in opposition to KT Rolster, which allowed T1 to achieve Worlds, after which within the elimination matches in opposition to each Prime Esports and Gen.G.
Final 12 months, the script introduced itself once more when Keria used Seraphine to get rid of Anybody’s Legend and Renata Glasc within the grand closing in opposition to KT Rolster. What makes these picks so putting is their inherent volatility — high-risk, high-reward champions that demand near-perfect execution to get good worth from them.
But, Keria makes it look simple. The man has so many pocket picks in his arsenal, making him a continuing menace to any group he performs in opposition to, particularly within the period of Fearless Draft.
I believe it’s protected to say that Keria is one of the best help in League of Legends. He just lately acknowledged that title, and no person disputed it. Actually, many revered him for what he needed to say about it:
“Truthfully, it will be a deceive say that title doesn’t belong to me. Nevertheless, if I maintain considering like that, I would turn into boastful. Whereas I do suppose I’m one of the best, I at all times attempt to depart room for the need to maintain enhancing,” Keria stated.
However Placing Him #2 is Nonetheless Early
The undisputed settlement that Keria is one of the best help introduced up one other debate: Is he the second-best there ever was, any position?
Whereas Keria’s influence and accolades are robust sufficient, time stays one of the vital vital components when evaluating the place a participant stands within the historical past of the sport. Past Corridor of Legends inductee Jian “Uzi” Zi-Hao, there are a number of gamers who can nonetheless make a respectable case for the #2 spot.
Gen.G ADC Park “Ruler” Jae-hyuk has been among the many world’s finest ADCs ever since he joined professional play in 2016, and Kim “Deft” Hyuk-kyu, Keria’s former teammate, had a decade-long legacy earlier than profitable the world championship in 2022.
Even jungler Kim “Canyon” Geon-bu, who has been extensively considered one of the best jungler on the earth for a lot of his profession, is also a part of the dialogue.
These are all gamers who proved themselves throughout totally different rosters, eras, and with totally different circumstances. Keria, for all his brilliance, hasn’t had to do this but.
The final level retains developing. Except for his first 12 months on DRX, Keria spent his profession at T1, alongside the best participant within the historical past of the sport. “[I] nonetheless received’t imagine it till I see him play with out Faker on his group. That man is a macro god,” stated one other consumer on Reddit, hinting at the truth that Faker’s presence makes it tougher to measure Keria’s contributions.
Then there’s additionally the home data. Whereas world championships carry important significance, LCK titles matter as properly, particularly on condition that the league has been thought of essentially the most aggressive on the earth lately. Keria solely has one LCK title to his title, which is in stark distinction to somebody like Ruler, for instance, who has collected a number of (4) home titles in the identical time window.
The Fairest Verdict On Keria
So, is Keria the second-best League of Legends of all time? Not but. However he’s most likely nearer than virtually everybody else proper now.
If we’re simply contemplating the trendy period of League of Legends, then the argument turns into a lot simpler. No lively participant can match the mix of influence and consistency that he has had over time, not even his jungle teammate Mun “Oner” Hyeon-jun.
His 2029 extension proves that T1 sees him as one of many defining gamers of its future. But when we increase that to all the LoL esports timeline, Keria nonetheless has some floor to cowl.
On a constructive word for him, the bottom is shrinking, and it’s shrinking quick. Each sequence he performs is one other brick in one of many best legacies. T1 doesn’t should essentially win that many extra trophies, so long as Keria can show his value on the Rift.
For now, although, it’s nonetheless too early to settle the talk.
