The teams you need to keep an eye on in the LCK

The League of Legends Championship Korea used to be ruled by names such as SK Telecom, KT Rolster, and Samsung Galaxy. Now, those names are either dead or they’re no longer the powerhouses they once were. Today, there are new names in the LCK, names that you need to know.

These new teams are relentless. They bring a new style of play to the table and have a roster full of talent. They’re hungrier than ever and they know that it’s their time to rule. Here are the new teams of the LCK that are going to take over.

Griffin

Griffin has been a top-tier team since their introduction into the LCK in 2017. During their first year as a franchise, they struggled to hold their spot and were almost kicked out of the competitive scene.

However, in the 2018 year, the results began to show for Griffin. They did well in the Summer Split, capping off a second place finish largely thanks to key players such as Chovy and Viper. However, they weren’t a one hit wonder.

They went into the playoffs and played extremely well. They took down Afreeca Freecs and then proceeded to take KT Rolster to town as they went head-to-head with KT Rolster’s extremely skilled roster.

Despite being up twice, Griffin eventually lost the finals as their opponents barely squeezed past them in a down-to-the-wire 3-2 win. Even though Griffin had made the finals of the 2018 Summer Split, they didn’t have enough Championship points and this meant that they had to play in the Regional Finals to qualify for the World Championship.

Here, they also barely lost to a seasoned Gen.G roster who had won the World Championship the year before.

Despite a rought start and a heartbreaking finish to the 2018 season, Griffin has shown great strides in their performances. Because of this, they can definitely hold down a top three spot throughout the regular season.

With a group of talented players, it’s hard to ignore the Griffin team. They’ve taken on every single veteran team and either won or barely lost. This will transition well into the rest of the Regular Season as well as the playoffs, making them a top three contender for a spot at this year’s World Championship.

SANDBOX Gaming

It’s hard to tell if a new team will be LCK material or bust but right now, SANDBOX Gaming has been showing good results. They’ve already notched a win against Griffin and Hanwha Life Esports and this can potentially propel them to a playoff position if they can keep it up.

They have a roster of extremely talented solo queue stars. They know the mechanics, they know the game, and they definitely know how to win.

They’ve embraced a fast-paced, aggressive playstyle that can take down even the most solid of teams if they slip up once and that’s what makes SANDBOX Gaming so deadly.

Of course, they’re still one of the new teams so this means that we’ll have to wait and see if SANDBOX Gaming can live up to their potential. One things for sure, though. They can upset the top teams in the region and take the number one spot for themselves if they play the way they’ve been playing.

Gen.G

Gen.G’s name isn’t necessarily new but they’re playing in a new way. They’ve started off the Split in dominant fashion compared to their shaky starts in the past. Even though Gen.G managed to make the World Championship last year, they didn’t show good results throughout the Summer Split.

However, thanks to Peanut in the jungle position, Cuvee in the top lane, and Ruler as the AD Carry, they’re playing much better. They’ve lodged two wins under their belt and can get more with the way that they’ve been controlling the Rift.

Whenever Peanut, Cuvee, and Ruler are playing at their best, they have three of the best players in the world in each of their own respective positions and that makes them even deadlier than a primetime SK Telecom with Faker playing top-level League of Legends.

Hopefully, we can see this version of Gen.G throughout the rest of the Summer Split because if they keep this up, then a World Championship spot is basically guaranteed to them. Moreover, they won’t just be a competitor at Worlds. They’ll be one of the top contenders for the Championship.
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The LCK has showcases some of the best League of Legends in the world. It’s where most of the top players live and where some of the best teams reside. With new names taking over the LCK, it’s exciting to see where Korean League of Legends is headed.