As is known, alongside practicing with teams participating in Worlds 2023, after teams gradually return home, the number of teams that can practice with T1 is becoming increasingly limited. Not to mention, after becoming “LCK’s last hope”, the situation has become even more challenging. T1, which usually practices with LPL teams, can no longer do so. Therefore, there have been many reports of LCK teams supporting T1 in their practice, notably Kwangdong Freecs.
Recently, some interesting information was revealed by KDF players themselves. As we know, with players clearly not at the same level as the star-studded T1, becoming “practice dummies” for T1 players will be a mutually beneficial method. However, with a team as professionally dedicated as T1, they do not hold back during scrims. In a recent interview, Support Andil and Jungler YoungJae cheerfully admitted that facing T1 is like being “experimented on” and “tortured”. But the players also acknowledged that it is a “win-win” practice relationship.
Moreover, when watching T1’s matches, such as the one against JD Gaming, KDF players noted, “banning Ashe doesn’t have much effect at all.” ADC Taeyoon also shared some very special information: “T1 still has about 37 unused “odd” picks.” With Taeyoon’s comment, it can be seen that KDF players have likely gone through many matches with T1 and witnessed how unpredictable their draft strategies can be. Furthermore, these bans were observed when T1 practiced with KDF. And no one knows how much more T1 players’ champion pool can expand.
From KDF’s revelations, it can be said that regarding the draft strategies, T1 has improved significantly compared to Worlds 2022. The remaining question is how T1’s focus and performance will hold up against a very “quirky” team like WBG in the upcoming finals.