League of Legendsis lucky enough to have one of the biggest professional scenes and 2023 promises to be another great year forLoLEsports. As always, the offseason has seen many pro players sign for new teams, or in the case of rookies, break through onto the biggest of stages for the first time.
Across all the major regions there are many players heading into the 2023 season aiming to make a name for themselves, whilst others are looking to cement their legacy. Whether they can live up to expectations or not, these players will be exciting to watch one way or another.
10FNC Rekkles
Martin “Rekkles” Larsson is one of the most famousLeagueplayers to ever grace the European stage, and he has more than made a name for himself internationallyas a stellar bot laner.Despite the Swedish superstar’s success, he missed out on an LEC spot in 2022 spending the year in the French regional league with Karmine Corp instead.
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Thankfully for LEC fans, 2023 will not only see Rekkles return to the forefront of EuropeanLeague of Legends, but he will also be joining his old team Fnatic. Rekkles and Fnatic are synonymous with each other, with both parties reaching their highs together and struggling since parting. Reunited and hungry to win it all, Rekkles has a point to prove in 2023.
9NS DnDn
Korea is known for producing the best talent inLeague of Legends,so each year it is always exciting to see which rookies will rise to the top. Although it is impossible to know which young players will live up to their expectations and manage the pressure of the big stage, predictions can be made.
This year LCK contenders Nongshim RedForce are fielding a team full of rookies and chief among them is top laner Park “DnDn” Geun-woo. After winning Finals MVP in the LCK Challengers Summer 2022 playoffs, DnDn is going into the LCK surrounded by a lot of hype.
8JDG Ruler
Through consistent dominance in the LCK and a Worlds victory in 2017, Park “Ruler” Jae-hyuk has cemented himself as one of the best bot laners in the world.
The 2023 season will be a new challenge for him though, as he travels to China to test his skills in the LPL. Language and cultural barriers aside, the LPL is a whole other beast with an overwhelming amount of competitive teams. If Ruler is able to find success with his new team JDG,his legacy will be cemented.
7G2 Yike
With G2 parting ways with longtime and successful jungler Jankos, there are arguably no bigger shoes in all ofLoL Esportsthat have to be filled in 2023, than the ones that Martin “Yike” Sundelin is stepping into.
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Surrounded by some of the best players in Europe on G2, Yike will have all the eyes on him as fans wait to see if he can slot in and compete at the top. As G2 only aim for complete success, they must have seen something special in this rookie.
6DRX BeryL
Fresh off his Worlds 2022 victory, Cho “BeryL” Geon-hee has now attended the Worlds final for three years running, picking up two titles along the way. Incredibly,the innovative supporthas achieved this feat on different rosters, with his most recent win being the most impressive as DRX were huge underdogs on the international stage.
As the only player to remain on the DRX roster for 2023, and with players who have previously been unable to find true success joining him, if BeryL is able to lead this team to glory in the LCK or even internationally, he will cement himself as one of the greatest of all time.
5WBG Xiaohu
Over the years, Chinese mid laner Li “Xiaohu” Yuan-Hao has earned himself the title of Tiger Emperor of Spring for consistently winning LPL Spring Splits and going on to win MSI three times, including once as arole-swapped top laner.
As all of his success has come on RNG, it will be interesting to see if Xiaohu can cement his own legacy by having a great 2023 with his new team Weibo Gaming.
4100T Doublelift
Yiliang “Doublelift” Peng is arguably the most famous LCS player of all time, and easily the most successful bot laner from the North American region. After a two-year retirement, fans will see Doublelift return to pro play, this time on 100 Thieves who have built an interesting roster for 2023.
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The last time Doublelift was on the LCS stage, he led TSM to the championship. There’s no doubt he’ll be looking to carry on from where he left off and win a ninth domestic title.
3EDG Leave
After dominating the Chinese development league, Hu “Leave” Hong-Chao has earned himself a spot on the main EDG roster for the 2023 LPL season. As former world champions, EDG always aim to compete at the top, making his promotion no small feat.
Known for his immaculate mechanics, this young bot laner could be the next superstar carry of the region and has an excellent opportunity to grow and learn fromhis veteran support Meiko.
2VIT Bo
There has arguably never been more anticipation for a player to debut on the LEC stage than for Team Vitality’s Bo. Zhou “Bo” Yang-Bo is one of the most promising junglers in the world, but due to unfortunate circumstances, he is unable to play in his home region of the LPL.
Therefore, Bo will be the first Chinese import to the LEC and unlike other imports, he has had time to learn English and get settled as Vitality snapped him up in June 2022. Ever since then, Bo has been tearing up solo queue on the EUW server, withchallenger players learning to fearhis perfect mechanics and bloodthirsty play style.
1HLE Zeka
Kim “Zeka” Geon-woo was without a doubt the breakout star of Worlds 2022, blowing away all expectations with his triumphant rise in the mid lane. Along the way to the title with DRX, Zeka took down some of the best mid laners of all time, includingthe GOAT Faker in the final.
Swapping out DRX for Hanwha Life Esports in 2023, Zeka is going to have the eyes of the world on him this season, with fans eager to see if he can continue his incredible form. Despite winning a world championship, Zeka has never found true domestic success in his short career, so his primary goal will be to win his first LCK title.
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