Buzz
Gumayusi - Keria, the names behind the champion ban trend in LCK.
Following their victory against KT Rolster in the 6th week of the LCK Spring 2023, T1 has officially secured the first spot in the playoffs. While T1 players are not taking it easy, they now have the opportunity to experiment with different strategies, preparing for the upcoming playoffs and beyond, including MSI 2023. In the context of the game revolving around the Bot Lane, one of the factors propelling T1 to their current success is the innovation brought by the bot duo - Gumayusi and Keria.
As of now, it can be affirmed that the T1 bot duo Gumayusi - Keria is the most creatively diverse pair in LCK Spring 2023. According to statistics from Gol.gg, Keria alone has utilized 14 champions in the Support position. Excluding Caitlyn, Jhin, and Varus, the Gumayusi - Keria duo has used 19 different champions in LCK Spring this time. This figure is the highest in the current competition, even surpassing teams with players known for unconventional picks like Lehends (KT Rolster) or BeryL (DRX).
Moreover, Gumayusi - Keria is not just a bot duo but also trendsetters in champion bans in LCK. Particularly, Keria is popularizing Marksman Support champions, with his Marksman Support picks highly favored. Keria may not have initiated this trend, but he is the player who has taken Marksman champions to Support the most (6 out of 14 champions). Notable among them are champions that Keria has used more than once, such as Kalista and Caitlyn. As of now, Caitlyn Support has been picked 40 times (counting across all global League of Legends competitions).
As for Gumayusi, his champion pool, despite following the meta, remains highly popular. However, thanks to his individual skill and teamwork with T1, even off-meta champions, chosen for their proficiency by players like Ziggs AD, Aphelios, have proven effective in Gumayusi's hands. Some experts even predict an increased usage of Aphelios in the near future, given Gumayusi's contribution to improving the win rate of this champion (selected only 7 times in LCK but with 2 victories).
It's not too challenging to recognize that T1 possesses the bot duo considered the strongest in LCK and the global League of Legends scene. However, both must maintain their form consistently if they don't want T1 to 'fall into the pit' of 2022 and return empty-handed from international tournaments with regret.
