NOTE: I’ve been writing the Academy Standouts series since early 2020, but with the changes in competitive format for Academy and the introduction of more structure to North America’s amateur scene, I need a new framework for highlighting standout performers at the sub-LCS level in NA. Going forward, I will be using the title “AC/AM Standouts” and adjusting the format so that I can highlight players in both Academy and amateur.

AC/AM Standouts highlights the players who performed best in the most recent week of NA Academy and NA amateur play, with primary focus on Academy. I’ll discuss a few of the most noteworthy players, then list some other strong performers below.

AnDa, Jungle, No Org

Last year, AnDa was the best Jungler in Academy. Some believed he had earned another shot in the LCS, and it was a pretty big surprise that he didn’t at least stick in Academy. But he landed on No Org in the amateur scene, and he has been the foundation of the team, playing equally well on a wide variety of styles, from Nidalee to Olaf to Graves to Elise. His pathing has ensured that No Org’s star solo laners can do their jobs and carry the team. As a trio, AnDa, V1per, and 5fire are three of the best players in the entire amateur scene.

AnDa Stats, Unified Grand Prix

	KDA	KP	GXD10	DPM	CSPM
UGP	10.8	65.2%	+397	406	7.1

It’s good to see AnDa making the most of his time in amateur so far, and there’s good reason to think he has more to give in his career.

K1ng, Bot, Cloud9 Academy

Cloud9’s backup Bot laner was the standout in the team’s win over TL Academy, which allowed C9A to take sole possession of first place, and first seed for the Proving Grounds tournament. K1ng’s stats from that game reflect the fact that he was playing fasting Senna, so they don’t tell an accurate story, but I’ve included them so it doesn’t look like I’m trying to hide something. Look how good his total stats are despite the Senna game! Piloting the Senna, he positioned well and contributed good damage, showing that he is more than just a win-lane, win-game player.

K1ng Stats, 2021 Spring Week 5

	KDA	KP	GXD10	DPM	CSPM
W5	14.0	93.3%	-1,071	411	1.4
Total	6.2	74.4%	+335	428	8.6

With K1ng in form and the C9A team as a whole clicking pretty well together, they’re looking like the favourites to win Proving Grounds in May.

V1per, Top, No Org

V1per lost his spot in the LCS after a few years of trying to play up to his potential in the lower tiers of NA’s highest league. He’s shown all year long that he is too good for amateur, and the confidence he’s building will hopefully propel him back into the spotlight sooner rather than later.

V1per’s high kill participation (for a Top laner) shows how central he is to No Org’s success, and the fact that Allorim was able to trade punches with him without getting completely rolled over in No Org’s loss to Zoos Gaming goes to show that without V1per, No Org have a much more difficult time picking up wins.

V1per Stats, Unified Grand Prix

	KDA	KP	GXD10	DPM	CSPM
UGP	4.8	65.9%	+198	581	8.5

During the offseason, I had hoped that an org like Cloud9 would pick V1per up for Academy and help him rediscover his confidence, because he has great mechanics but has always seemed to struggle to put his best foot forward at the LCS level. Maybe this amateur stint will provide that boost, instead.

Additional Standouts

The following players also stood out.

• 5fire, Mid, No Org
• Akaadian, Jungle, Dignitas Academy
• Cody Sun, Bot, TSM Academy
• Darkwings, Mid, Zoos Gaming
• Doxa, Mid, Winthrop University
• Luger, Bot, 100 Thieves Academy
• Pretty, Mid, Immortals Academy
• Zeyzal, Support, SolaFide

Photos courtesy flickr.com/lolesports and watch.lolesports.com