Perhaps for those who regularly follow League of Legends, especially T1 fans, the talent of Keria is no surprise. The Support player born in 2002 is not only an outstanding player with champions who primarily “buff” or provide support for teammates, but he also excels when needed to be the main damage dealer. The recent match against Dplus KIA is a clear example where Keria even dealt more damage than both Gumayusi and Faker.
With recognized talent and a wide champion pool, comfortably executing all of T1’s strategies, Keria is seen as a model of a new generation player: more versatile, more flexible. However, recently, even Keria’s teammate, the veteran Faker, was astonished to witness his younger brother use Azir in a ranked match. Perhaps everyone knows that Azir is considered one of Faker’s signature champions and a crucial part of T1’s championship at the 2023 World Championship. However, in this season, Azir has been heavily “nerfed” and has a rather unimpressive win rate in the LCK Spring 2024 (only about 34%).
Specifically, Faker and Keria were on the same team, but the T1 captain used Ezreal while Keria took on Azir. The Shurima Shuffle executed by Keria’s Talon near the opponent’s Mid Lane turret left Faker surprised and in awe.
Below the post, not only Faker but also a fan humorously remarked: “I guess Faker will say: ‘You not only threaten Gumayusi’s ADC career but are you planning to take my job too?'” This is because Keria’s Shurima Shuffle was so smooth, without any flaws. If one didn’t look at the name, they’d think it was Azir being played by a highly skilled player. Some even expressed hopes for Azir Support to make an appearance in professional matches soon.
Of course, in ranked games, it is not uncommon for players to switch roles or play “off-meta” champions. However, the actual appearance of these champions in professional play depends on many factors. Nevertheless, it cannot be denied that Keria is in great form and this will be an important foundation for T1’s journey this year, not only in LCK Spring but also in all upcoming tournaments.