This article has been prepared by John “TheEsportsPlug” George, an esports daily fantasy player, bettor, and former professional poker player.
During this period before the World Championships begin, a lot of people will be doing a list of the best players to attend the tournament. You’ll see top 10 lists, top 20 lists, and even top 50 lists all putting in a thought on the best players at the event. Normally I’d do the same, but I’ve decided to try something just a little different this year. Rather than trying to figure out the 20 best players, I’ve fashioned a list of the twenty biggest game-changers.
What I mean by “game-changer” is a player who can single-handedly lift their team to the next level. They may not be the best players in the world, or even the best players on their team, but these are the players that will have to elevate to the next level if championship dreams are going to become a reality for their squads. These players can make or break a matchup, and if any of these players’ teams wins Worlds I’m going to bet that these are the guys who made the difference. The guys who changed the game.
#20 Levi (GAM Esports)
For many of the people on the lower side of this list, the chances to win the tournament may be slim, but I don’t think there is any doubting that if GAM find themselves in a position to win it will come through Levi. The versatile, globetrotting jungler is most famous for his Nocturne game at Worlds a few years ago and a run in the LCS and Academy leagues, but he now finds himself back on home soil. Playing once again for the team that helped him make his name, Levi will have to elevate his aggressive and creative style if he wants to give GAM a chance at a bracket run.
#19 Khan (SKT)
Seeing Khan this low on the list might come as a surprise to some, but that’s only a testament to his consistency. No doubt SKT will come in with a legitimate shot at winning the World Championship, but how often does that come through big performances from Khan? It might be more often than people think. When we hit the bracket stage of this event the top lane is going to be extremely crowded, and while Teddy and Clid will have to play at their best to win the tournament, it’s Khan, among others, who will have the chance to elevate his team onto the top of the podium.
#18 Kobbe (Splyce)
The forgotten sons of EU for this event are Splyce. Most don’t give them much of a chance at a run, but how would the EU #3 seed go about doing it if they were to pull it off? I think the answer comes through the botlane. Bot has been both the strength and weakness of the team, as Norskeren hasn’t gelled extremely well with the team’s normal playstyle, but quietly Kobbe hasn’t been in form in recent weeks either. If Splyce want a chance to pick up wins in the playoffs it will have to be the best pure EU ADC who does it for them.
#17 CoreJJ (Team Liquid)
Team Liquid is a bit of an enigma coming into the tournament, as I don’t think anyone has a real idea of how they stack up against the competition they’ll be facing on the World stage. For me, if they want to try to put NA in the spotlight it’s going to be up to their superstar support. We know Doublelift’s record on the international stage, but with the true NA MVP in the bot lane with him they might have a chance to really show off. A combination of lane dominance and well timed roams from CoreJJ will be pivotal to the success of the great NA hope.
#16 Huni (Clutch Gaming)
Clutch Gaming should have a really fun showing at Worlds this year. I think they are a team that will be very hard to prepare for, and they could be a handful for even the toughest teams in the tournament. As with Khan, though, it will be up to Huni to really elevate the team. He will be up against the cream of the crop of the tournament in the top lane, and if his pocket picks continue to be effective and can force bans and attention it will give Clutch a chance to make the miracle run.
#15 Perkz (G2 Esports)
Though Perkz isn’t necessarily one of the best players on his team right now, in my opinion, he will be extremely pivotal to their success at this event. If he can hold his own when the ADCs come in and G2 can continue to really get value out of the flexibility he provides them in the bot lane, then their chances to win will increase exponentially. The power of this team lies in their flexibility and Perkz is the best example of that on the team. He’ll need to be a powerhouse for G2 to lift the trophy.
#14 Lehends (Griffin)
While many of the positions at this event are absolutely stacked, I think the support position is where some teams are going to be able to find their advantages. Many of the best teams in the world at the moment are relying on insanely strong solo-laners to pick up their wins and I think Lehends, even more than Chovy or Viper, has a chance to be the difference-maker in Griffin’s run to silence their doubters.
#13 Nisqy (Cloud9)
I already said it in my power rankings, but Cloud9 isn’t sending the same team they’ve sent in previous years. While Jensen was always a rock in their midlane, it was often their jungle, bot lane or top lane where Cloud9 fans were really putting their faith. This year, I think it’s going to be soundly on the shoulders of the former Splyce midlaner to move this team to another plateau. He’s shown a wide variety of picks and a mastery of a lot of different styles that Cloud9 fans should get behind if they want to mirror last year’s success.
#12 mikyx (G2 Esports)
While Perkz and his flexibility is one key for G2 to be able to defend their MSI title, a bigger factor for me is their support: mikyx is in the conversation for the most talented supports in the game, and a lot of that value comes from his engages and roams. At an event with players of this caliber, its mikyx who I think has the best chance on the team to truly outskill his lane opponent in almost every possible matchup.
#11 Gimgoon (Funplus Phoenix)
Funplus Phoenix is one of the most enjoyable teams on the planet to watch, and a lot of that comes from their ability to dominate any lane of the map depending on the opponent. If you are weak in the bot lane, LWX and Crisp can take over. DoinB is capable of stomping any midlaner. Tian has had a season for the ages, making other junglers look like absolute buffoons. At this event, however, I think Gimgoon is going to be a key focal point for this team. He has had the best split of his career domestically, but he is the key that can open the lock to a World Championship here. If Gimgoon has a lackluster tournament, it will be hard for FPX to contain the top lane talent some of the other teams are bringing, but if he continues his upwards trajectory I think they become the favorites to hoist the Summoner’s Cup.
#10 Faker (SKT)
The Unkillable Demon King is definitely looking for his way back to the promised land in 2019, and he’ll be in a position that he should be used to at this point: a position to carry. Don’t get me wrong, the rest of SKT is extremely proficient and among the best in the world at their positions, but it’s Faker who can really elevate this team. For a lot of this year Faker has looked like an average LCK midlaner. That simply won’t do if SKT wants to hoist the trophy. The difference between an average 2019 Faker performance and the kind of performance we’ve come to expect from him on the biggest stage could be the difference between a semi-final exit and a championship moment for the LCK’s most storied franchise.
#9 Showmaker (Damwon Gaming)
Many fans who only really watch their own region won’t know much about Showmaker, but if you are looking for a guy who can change the game for his team look no further. Showmaker and his flashy lane-dominant style is exactly what Damwon needs to become contenders here. They aren’t being viewed on the same level as their LCK counterparts but I don’t think it would surprise many analysts if Damwon Gaming, found themselves sitting in the semi-finals and only a few wins away from this time hoisting the cup.
#8 Broxah (Fnatic)
It’s been an odd year for both Broxah and Fnatic. After being considered the best jungler at Worlds last year, he was subbed out for a few LEC games as the team seemed to struggle with meta and gameplay changes. I personally never felt Broxah should’ve seen the pine, and I’m expecting to see the dominant force we saw last year return once again. The tough part is that, moreso than last year, Fnatic will need it. With the quality of the teams at this event, Fnatic won’t have the same lane advantages they had last year, and the jungle will be their key to a repeat performance.
#7 Jankos (G2 Esports)
The last G2 member on this list but perhaps the most important is Jankos. Similar to Broxah, Jankos can be the difference maker in any matchup. One of the biggest strengths for Jankos is that he isn’t locked into a particular style of jungling. G2’s key to victory at this event will be their ability to adapt, and Jankos will be the crux of any and all strategies that G2 can come up with to combat some extremely scary foes. He may not have the biggest name on this team, but if G2 win the World Championship it may well be on the back of their Polish jungler.
#6 DoinB (Funplus Phoenix)
There’s a lot to say about everyone on FPX and I’ve already discussed how GimGoon can be a difference maker at this event, but DoinB will always be the leader of this team. With DoinB will go the entire squad, and it will be up to the charismatic and lovable midlaner to take a step forward and really make his case for best midlaner in the world. I think its hard to argue he isn’t in the conversation for best in the world, but at the end of this event if the consensus is that DoinB was the best midlaner then I’m guessing FPX hoisted the trophy. I doubt there will be a scenario where he plays insanely well but they lose. With DoinB will go FPX.
#5 Tarzan (Griffin)
One of Griffin’s biggest issues as a team is that they are a sort-of “jack of all trades, master of none” type team. They don’t have the preparation of G2, the lanes of SKT, the adaptation of IG. They find themselves very good, but always second best. Tarzan is their best shot, in my estimation, to be the best at something this tournament. Tarzan has long made a case for best jungler in the world and this tournament is going to be decided by early and decisive playmaking. If he can really bind his lanes with consistent pressure I’d expect to see Griffin playing on the final day of Worlds.
#4 Bwipo (Fnatic)
This entry will probably be the most surprising to the readers, but Bwipo is going to be a statement maker one way or another for this Fnatic squad. Bwipo has long been known as a feast or famine top laner, and Fnatic will need a feast out of the top lane to give them an opportunity at greatness. Bwipo is capable of challenging any top laner in this tournament, but he’s also capable of dragging the team down with him with overaggression and isolated deaths. If Bwipo shines, so will Fnatic and we could see an underdog champion crowned.
#3 Nuguri (Damwon Gaming)
As with his teammate Showmaker, its going to be up to the Damwon solo laners to really bring this event under the wing for the newly promoted LCK squad. Nuguri is a player that’s very reminiscent of TheShy and the will he can impose on any opponent he comes across. As with everyone on this list though, he’ll have to for Damwon to overcome the insane lineups they’ll come across in the playoffs of this event. Nuguri will find himself getting the challenge he’s talked about in interviews and if can overcome them then Damwon becomes a legitimate threat to walk away as an unlikely champion.
#2 TheShy (Invictus Gaming)
The last two people on this list were the easiest to place because their teams just absolutely cannot be successful without them. Everyone on the list is going to be needed if their teams are going to win, but the top two are going to shoulder a load that perhaps no one else on the list will have to in order to lift the trophy. TheShy has been the best top laner in the world for two years, but he has often been backed up by arguably the best jungler and mid-laner in the world as well. This year the form on IG hasn’t been up to par and we aren’t even sure if Ning will see the stage. Long story short, IG is still a scary opponent and a lot of the reason for that is oozing out of the top lane.
The level of talent in top lane is the highest it’s ever been, and where TheShy was previously head and shoulders above everyone he has looked more pedestrian in recent times. This is his chance to put his stamp on his legacy and remind us why he was the most feared player in the world during Worlds 2018. If IG can repeat here, TheShy will almost certainly complete a legacy that not many others can match.
#1 Karsa (Royal Never Give Up)
Karsa is one of the most exciting points of this World Championship for me. I’ve considered him the best jungler in the world all year, but his supporting cast has looked worse and worse comparatively as time has gone on. They did make a Finals appearance in the LPL summer split, but they didn’t really find themselves heavily challenged by the bracket until the Finals, and that series didn’t look good.
I think RNG can win this tournament, which is something that most analysts I’ve read don’t agree with. It’s going to take a performance the likes of which we may not have ever seen before from their superstar jungler, but what a story it would be to come from the LMS to a team with this kind of history, and to give them their first championship after so many years of being considered favorites or near-favorites. While it may not be likely, that’s a story I’d love to see play out, and it’s up to Karsa to make it happen.
John George is a former professional poker player and current high stakes esports bettor and daily fantasy player. He lives in New Mexico with his wife and two kids.