T1 Drops “Bombshell” Oner in the Night
On the evening of November 23 (Vietnam time), T1 unexpectedly announced the extension of Oner’s contract until 2028. Notably, the contract of the jungler, who has achieved three consecutive World Championship titles, was still valid until the end of 2026. This contract makes Oner the only jungler in League of Legends history to play alongside Faker for over four years. They also become the Mid-Jungle duo that has been together the longest in professional League of Legends.
At the same time, with such a long association with T1, there’s a chance Oner will also play alongside Faker in 2029 – the final year of Faker’s current contract with T1. If Faker decides to “hang up his sword” afterward, Oner will also go down in history as the last jungler to play alongside the “G.O.A.T” in his illustrious career.
The Oner-T1 Deal Reminds Fans of Gumayusi and Zeus
It can be said that T1’s early extension with Oner, besides ensuring the future of this player, can also be seen as a “lesson learned” from the situations involving Zeus and Gumayusi. With Zeus, T1 was in a proactive position but hesitated too much. This led to drama and troubles for all parties, with Zeus and T1 fans being the “victims” of the situation.
As for Gumayusi, it is likely that Oner himself saw what happened with his former close teammate. His acceptance of a contract extension until 2028, aside from confidence in future achievements with T1, might also mean that the team needs to ensure something for Oner. Currently, Oner is on track to become the greatest jungler in League of Legends history. So far, he has matched the championship record with his mentor, Bengi.
Whatever the reason, the Oner-T1 deal deserves to be called a “bombshell” and promises T1 fans at least some peace of mind about this player’s position in the near future.