Korean teams have ruled the international scene over the last six years. Since 2013, a Korean team has won every League of Legends World Championship and only one non-Korean team has won the Mid-Season Invitational. However, all of those championships have come from two teams, SK Telecom T1 and Samsung Galaxy. Kingzone DragonX will look to uphold the Korean mantle at this year’s MSI.
Last year, Kingzone were the favorites heading into the World Championships. They were named Longzhu Gaming back then, but they were considered the team to beat nonetheless. They were the lone team to go undefeated in the group stage and were odds-on favorites to win it all at that point. However, Kingzone were surprisingly upset by eventual champions Samsung Galaxy 3-0 in the quarterfinals. This time, they will look to finish what they started.
Odds to win the 2018 Mid-Season Invitational (Courtesy of BetDSI)
Kingzone DragonX -350
Backstory
Coming into the 2018 LCK Spring Split, Kingzone were seen as the favorites. The team was able to keep its core intact and even improved its roster by adding Peanut. They lived up to the big expectations by going 16-2 in the regular season and easily finishing at the top of the table.
The first-place finish gave Kingzone an automatic bye into the Grand Final. There, they faced the Afreeca Freecs and were heavy favorites coming into their match. Again, Kingzone proved why many consider them to be the best team in the world, knocking off Afreeca 3-1 despite some great play from their opponents.
What to watch for
This is the one team that has five different players who can take over the game. Kingzone has more versatility than any other team at MSI, and that will help them as the tournament progresses and teams adapt to the meta.
Pray is seen as one of the best AD Carries in the world. He has proven his skill in both Korea and on the international stage, and he is adept on a number of champions. Where he stands out though is in his ability to play well despite not getting many resources. He grabs a much smaller proportion of his team’s gold than most AD Carries, allowing his teammates to get ahead while he takes only what he needs.
Kingzone also boasts the best top laner in the world. Khan has been a pro for a long time, but he has only found his place amongst the elite in the last two years. Everyone who follows the LCK knows how amazing he is on Jayce, and he has shown a mastery of other skill champions too. There is no top laner at MSI with his skill, making him a must-watch if he takes a carry into the top lane.
Finally, there is Peanut. He was the star of last year’s Mid-Season Invitational, winning the MVP award and helping SK Telecom T1 cruise to victory. He is legendary for his early aggression and that will wreak havoc on opponents’ early game strategies.
Prediction
It’s hard for me to see a way that Kingzone loses this tournament. They are so far ahead of every other team on a talent level, that it feels like only a serious set of blunders could cost them the title. This team has four of the five best players at their positions at MSI, with only Pray not being considered the absolute best in his role. I don’t think Kingzone will drop more than three games all tournament.
