Buzz
Zeus stands out as one of the rare players at the Worlds 2022 who refrains from using support champions, opting for a different champion in each match.
As a result, T1 - the representative of League of Legends (LoL) from South Korea has officially advanced to the Quarterfinals of the 2022 World Championship, topping Group A. With a flawless performance today, the LCK seed #2 secures 5 victories and suffers only 1 defeat, surpassing Edward Gaming. Hence, T1 fans worldwide are proud of their idols after this impressive display.
Among them, Zeus is the most exceptional member of T1. Despite being born in 2004 with limited international experience, he has delivered an astonishing performance in this year's tournament. At Worlds 2022, the strategic trend shifted away from focusing on the top lane, but T1 decided to break the mold, establishing their own identity. Therefore, the Korean representative entrusted Zeus with a significant role, building the team's playstyle around the player born in 2004.
In the 6 matches played so far, Zeus exclusively used champions inclined towards aggression and late-game carrying, receiving support and resource allocation from teammates. In LoL, when prioritized, every player must make the most of allocated resources. In response to the trust placed by senior teammates, Zeus has excellently fulfilled his duties in this group stage. Besides Zeus, players Breath, Nuguri, and Ssumday also stuck to champions focused on carrying the team. However, these three players only participated in 3 matches, so there is a high chance they will use more versatile champions in the upcoming games.
Moreover, the young talents from T1 utilized 6 different champions in the 6 matches, showcasing impressive Kill/Death/Assist (KDA) ratios compared to the average stats for the top lane position. The champions Zeus used include Fiora, Jax, Aatrox, Yone, Jayce, and Gangplank. Playing these champions effectively requires individual skill, high confidence levels, and knowledge of champion characteristics in each match. Additionally, T1 sends a message to all opponents: 'We have an outstanding top laner; you won't be able to ban all our champions.'
After 6 matches, Zeus boasts a remarkable KDA of 3.44, surpassing the average of top lane players. Among them, the standout performance came from Gangplank, T1's top laner, dominating Flandre in the second round of the group stage. Zeus concluded the match with a KDA of 10/2/3, outpacing the opponent by approximately 6000 – 7000 gold difference.
Not stopping there, Zeus also excels in resource optimization. In the group stage, T1's top laner has the highest Gold Per Minute (GPM) and consistently holds a higher Gold Share than other opponents. Despite not leading in minion score over time, these stats highlight Zeus's ability to apply pressure, create tension in the lane, and secure towers and first-tier turrets.
2022 marks Zeus's first official year competing in the colors of T1, yet his achievements are nothing short of astonishing. Exceptional individual skills, deep champion understanding, aggressive playstyle, team-carrying capabilities – all these talents converge in this young prodigy. If T1 advances to the finals, Zeus's contributions will undoubtedly play a significant role in the success at the 2022 World Championships.
