Eight-time LCS champion Doublelift admits he wants to play in the premier North American competition again and “frequently” considers joining another League of Legends team to compete for a record ninth domestic title.
“I have the urge,” Doublelift said of returning to pro play. “Frequently. It’s something romanticized in our minds. And it is really fulfilling. It’s something I love.”
The 28-year-old last played in the LCS under TSM’s banner in 2020. In his final season, Doublelift claimed an eighth domestic trophy but finished on a bitter note with his team’s infamous 0-6 group stage record at Worlds 2020 in China. He retired soon after and transitioned into full-time Twitch streaming.
During his illustrious ten-year League career, Doublelift spent long stints with Counter Logic Gaming and TSM. He was crowned LCS MVP in Summer 2018 and LCS Finals MVP a year later. He was named in the NA league’s All-Pro first team five times.
Since hanging up the keyboard, the eight-time League champ has remained a leading figure in the North American scene. He appears on the “Trash Talk” podcast—where he made his most recent admission—and was part of the LCS co-stream system. And, Doublelift admits, his playing career may not be over; he has “frequently” considered dusting off the jersey again.
“I do have that urge to compete,” he said.
“As far as do I still think I can… I think Bjergsen had the best take possible, when he came back he told his team, ‘Guys, I’ve been out of it for a year, I’m not gonna be that good, but I promise that I can get really good. I just need the time’. I really think that is the right mindset [during any return].”
Doublelift says he would aim to have a similar mentality should he join a team for the 2022 Summer split, or any LCS campaign following—a stark opposite to the League star that notoriously declared “everyone else is trash.”
“If I said, right now, I could come back and stomp LCS ADCs, easy, I’m fucking delusional,” the retired star admitted. “You need a lot of time to go back and develop your skills. So, can I still compete? Yeah, but there’s an asterisk there.”
Doublelift’s urge to return to pro play in North America begs a question too—where would the eight-time champ actually be able to find a starting position?
Of the top four LCS teams right now, Cloud9 and Liquid boast import AD carries in Berserker and Hans Sama. Both have been standouts in 2022 so far, and are irreplaceable for their lineups. FBI starts for 100 Thieves and is equally key. The Australian star even has the added bonus of being a resident player.
Evil Geniuses did have the option to sign Doublelift in the most recent League offseason, but chose to keep the faith with youngster Danny. That decision has paid off big time too—the 18-year-old has looked sensation in the first nine games of the year. One possible landing spot for the veteran would be FlyQuest, over Johnsun (also a resident player) but it’s unlikely FLY would want to shake up their high-flying roster.
More likely, Doublelift would have to bolster a struggling LCS roster like Immortals or even TSM—an option the decorated star may not be so eager for, “urge” or no.
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