It’s been a busy offseason for those who call the North American League of Legends scene their home. But after a few months of roster switches and signings, the LCS is getting injected with a healthy dose of hype with the arrival of multiple superstar talents in 2023.
From the debuts of highly-anticipated prospects, the regional debuts of international phenoms, or veteran icons returning from retirement, this upcoming year will bring a whole new smorgasbord of storylines that should captivate fans from start to finish.
Underdogs and favorites alike will be present as these new squads collide on Summoner’s Rift for the chance to not only etch their names into history but for an opportunity to represent this region at an international tournament. These players are ready to prove that NA isn’t a region to scoff at, even though history hasn’t proven too kind so far.
Here are some of the most exciting players taking the LCS stage in 2023.
Whether you’re a longtime fan of the LCS or a new supporter, there’s a good chance that you recognize this player. Whether it’s from his incredible gameplay as a pro or his consistent streams on Twitch, Doublelift is one of the most iconic players in NA history due to his unapologetic personality to match his dominance on stage.
Next year, he’ll be returning to pro play after a two-year break. And although he has one of the biggest personal fan bases in League, many people will be tuning in to see if the 29-year-old has what it takes to play at the highest level in the region. The absence of stage play can take a toll on a pro, and the lack of true competition can dull the deadliest of blades.
If there’s one player who can hone his killer instinct, it’s Doublelift. He has always been one of the most competitive players in the league, and if he’s chosen to return, you can bet that this legend will be putting 150 percent of his heart and soul into his play.
After one of the most magical World Championship runs in League history, Team Liquid’s new jungler Pyosik has left Korea, taken a flight across the Atlantic, and will be making his LCS debut with one of the strongest rosters in NA. Although he already has a Summoner’s Cup under his belt, the 22-year-old will have to adjust heavily to a whole new scene with different teams, playstyles, and challengers.
He has superstar teammates like CoreJJ and Summit to lean on in his transition, but he’ll also have to adapt to a new set of rookie teammates. Although they’ve shown a ton of promise in the Academy scene, Haeri and Yeon have a long way to go before they approach the level of Pyosik’s former DRX teammates, Zeka and Deft.
As the facilitator of this new-look Liquid squad, Pyosik will have the chance to prove himself as a world-class jungler who can guide a team to the promised land.
Although Evil Geniuses’ star-studded roster has undergone multiple changes over this offseason, the 2022 Spring Split champions have built another contender for 2023 with the additions of former 100 Thieves top laner Ssumday and AD carry star FBI.
But even though these two veterans are exciting to see, the true focus should remain on the players who are sticking with the team. Enter Jojopyun, the organization’s 18-year-old mid laner. The young star has flourished from a promising prospect to a major figure in the league’s new era in one short year. But now, he’ll need to level up even further to establish his claim over his lane kingdom.
Like this year, he has a solid amount of backup around him, but these next seasons will tell whether he truly is the next great talent to hail from NA—especially after becoming the impromptu lead for the region’s blossoming youth movement with the departure of his former teammate, Danny.
One of the most shocking roster moves of the offseason came from the LCS when FlyQuest was linked to two of the fastest-rising players in the LCK, Prince and VicLa.
Over the course of the 2022 LCK Summer Split, Prince established his reign as one of the LCK’s best marksmen, boasting the most kills and the highest share of his team’s total kills in the league, according to Oracle’s Elixir. His efforts netted him the co-Player of the Split award and made him one of the hottest free agents on the market.
In a similar vein, VicLa was a highly-touted rookie who got his starting position with KT Rolster. In one split, he showed enough promise to win the Rookie of the Split award with just over half of the available judges voting for him. He still has plenty of room to grow and improve, but his overall fearlessness and willingness to make plays has a lot of people banking on his growth in the LCS.
The 2023 LCS Spring Split is set to begin on Jan. 26.
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