LCK Legend States Only 1 Player in LPL Can Play Azir Well
In recent matches of the 2026 season, the LPL region has particularly focused on the champion Azir. Specifically, in the group stage of Split 1, Azir has been picked 49 times, according to statistics from Gol.gg. This number is over 5 times compared to the same time last year when Azir was only picked 9 times in LPL Split 1 2025. Clearly, with Azir’s power in the hands of top LCK midlaners, the best approach is to try to use him to avoid a ban. However, according to BeryL, currently in LPL, only one person can play Azir effectively.
Accordingly, the Support who has won the World Championship twice with two different teams stated: “Only Shanks can play Azir well throughout LPL.” Accompanying this statement, BeryL praised the playstyle of the Mid Laner currently competing for AL. “He knows when to engage and when to retreat, his assessment and overview of the entire match are crucial factors in playing Azir well,” the former DK star commented.
In reality, among all current midlaners in LPL, Shanks is the only case where Azir is his ‘pocket pick’ with a win rate of over 60% for two consecutive seasons. In contrast, another superstar midlaner of LPL, Knight, has significantly lower match counts and win rates with Azir compared to Shanks. Specifically, in the 2026 season, Knight has only won 1 out of 5 games using Azir.
Improving Azir Play is a Prerequisite for LPL
Clearly, over many seasons, LPL teams have almost always been defeated or even eliminated because of the Azirs from LCK, from Faker to Chovy, Bdd. The most notable and painful moment was perhaps the downfall of JDG, which was pivotal due to Faker’s Shurima Shuffle that year.
With the Fearless Draft mechanism, mastering and expanding champion pools is only beneficial. And being able to use Azir and then winning would be the best scenario, rather than wasting a ban every time facing teams like Gen.G or T1.