Recently, on his personal Facebook page, marksman Đặng “BigKoro” Ngọc Tài shared a short yet emotionally charged farewell letter, announcing his retirement from professional play after nearly 5 years.
This announcement officially closes the chapter on all speculation regarding the future of one of the legendary marksmen that VCS has ever had. Previously, during the final stages of the Spring Split, BigKoro was absent from the Burst The Sky lineup in the VCS Summer 2021 Promotion Tournament, a sign that he had parted ways with the team after a year of commitment. And now, BTS has also become the final destination in BigKoro’s player career.
BigKoro’s name is closely associated with the Saigon Buffalo colors, and this is the team he represented for most of his career. During his three and a half years with the Buffaloes, BigKoro won 2 VCS championships, participated in Worlds once, and attended MSI once, becoming one of the marksmen with the most impressive records in Vietnam’s League of Legends.
Bidding farewell to his career behind the keyboard and mouse, it is likely that BigKoro will reunite with his old team Saigon Buffalo in a coaching role, as the team has hinted several times about the “return” of a legend. It is very possible that BigKoro will join his former teammate Ren to continue building and developing the youth training academy of SGB, where he will be entrusted with the responsibility of guiding the next generation of players, with the hope of recreating the achievements once established by Young Generation.
With BigKoro’s retirement, the YG 2017 lineup now has only Palette still competing professionally. Both Ren and yT have transitioned to coaching roles, while Naul and Venus’s futures remain uncertain.