XL has made a surprising move by choosing a rookie player over seasoned veterans like Perkz and Abbedagge. What implications could this unexpected decision have on the future of the European esports scene?
According to Brieuc "LEC Wooloo" Seeger, XL has reached a verbal agreement with the Czech Rookie, Adam "Jackies" Jeřábek.
LEC Wooloo also mentioned that XL chose Jackies over Perkz, Abbedagge, LIDER, and Larssen, who all participated in try outs for XL.
What Does This Mean For The Other Players?
We already knew that Perkz wouldn't be playing for Vitality anymore, but Abbedagge leaving XL, LIDER leaving Astralis, and especially Larssen departing KOI are new developments.
Indeed, Karmine Corp bought out the Astralis spot, indicating their intention to assemble a new roster, possibly with French players. This seems particularly realistic for the mid-lane position since mid laners are often seen as the stars of their teams.
It will be interesting to see if another team picks up LIDER; he has performed impressively and boasts a unique champion pool, primarily consisting of melee assassins, which could attract viewers.
The most significant news here, though, is that Larssen won't be playing for KOI anymore. He has been with the academy team since December 2018, when the team still was called Rogue, and has been in the LEC with them since May 2019. With Larssen, they have already won a split.
Now, KOI finished the season in seventh place, prompting a change, and it appears that their star player, Larssen, is affected.
XL managed to secure third place, which doesn't necessarily indicate significant problems. However, like every LEC team aiming to become the best in the league after promotion, changes are likely necessary. While Abbedagge has played solidly, he's not a solo carry for Excel.
Who is the Rookie Jackies?
Adam "Jackies" Jeřábek was born in 2004 and has been playing competitive League of Legends since May 2020. He hasn't been a part of any well-known teams so far and has been playing in the Czech league until now.
There, he secured three consecutive titles and finished the Summer split with an impressive win rate of 82.8% in 29 games with his team, Entropiq. During this time, he managed to secure 24 solo kills and maintained an average of 9.1 CS per minute, which is quite impressive.
His most-played champion in competitive play is Yone, followed by Sylas, Syndra, and Orianna. He boasts an 81% win rate with Yone in 16 games!
Throughout his career, he has played 36 different champions, so there's no need to worry about him being a one-trick pony.
XL seems to see enormous potential in Jackies, similar to what was seen in Caps when he joined FNC.
In general, I find this approach of giving younger players a stage to showcase their skills very promising.
Whether Jackies will be the next Caps remains to be seen.
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