Buzz
Here are the teams that stumbled before they could touch the 'Grand Slam' glory in the League of Legends realm.
As the World Championship (Worlds) 2023 approaches, JD Gaming (JDG) takes the spotlight. If they clinch the title, JDG will be the first team in League of Legends history to achieve the 'Grand Slam' in a season, securing victories in all official domestic leagues, MSI, and Worlds. Additionally, Ruler will secure the individual 'Grand Slam' by winning all official tournaments in the League of Legends scene, including LCK and LPL. The achievements of JDG and Ruler will surpass even T1 and Faker.
However, before JDG, three teams in the past touched the milestone of the 'Grand Slam,' all 'falling before heaven's gate.' Among them, one name even stumbled three times throughout their career.
Royal Never Give Up (2018)
For the star-studded roster of RNG during the era of Mlxg, Uzi, 2018 was a dreamy year, but it all shattered when they faced G2 Esports. At that time, G2 was the flagship of the LEC with superior strength compared to other teams in the region, showcasing exceptional skills of players and innovative gameplay.
Uzi and teammates secured MSI, along with two domestic championships. The RNG players added victory at ASIAD against Korean League of Legends. However, the high-flying Perkz or the in-form Jankos, alongside the 'Top Lane Monster' Wunder, extinguished RNG's 'Grand Slam' aspirations with a thrilling 3-2 victory in the 2018 Worlds Semifinals.
G2 Esports (2019)
From being the team that 'crushed dreams' for RNG, G2 faced a setback the following year, courtesy of an LPL team. Despite winning two domestic championships, MSI in the same year, and defeating the formidable T1, G2 fell short of becoming the first team in League of Legends history to achieve the 'Grand Slam.' FunPlus Phoenix had different plans.
The 'Phoenix' led by Doinb in that year exhibited innovative gameplay comparable to G2. Moreover, Doinb and especially Tian delivered an outstanding performance in the finals. G2 succumbed with a 0-3 score, accepting that their glory might never return.
SKT T1 (2015 - 2016 and 2018)
However, even the teams mentioned find it challenging to surpass SKT T1. Even at their peak, SKT T1 missed the chance to collect all titles in a single season. In 2015, SKT T1 suffered defeat against Edward Gaming in MSI. Moving to 2016, SKT T1 stumbled domestically, losing to KT Rolster in the 'Telecom War' and relinquishing the LCK Summer 2016 championship.
For Faker, 2018 stands out as a stark 'white-faced' failure and marks the final season with the team bearing the iconic name SKT T1. During that year, Faker faced complete defeat in the domestic league and suffered a loss in ASIAD. Although he hadn't clinched all titles, 2018 was particularly gloomy for Faker, witnessing a 'Grand Slam' slipping through his fingers on every front.
Conclusion
If JDG manages to secure the championship in CKTG 2023, they will etch their names in history, surpassing the greatness of SKT T1 and many illustrious names from the past. However, if they falter, the only sentiment left will be one of regret, similar to the fate of three predecessor teams.
