Deft joins Damwon KIA for 2023 season

The LCK offseason always takes a bit more time to develop but it’s never short on fireworks. The World Championship-winning squad of DRX has officially dissolved, with Deft becoming a member of the 2023 Damwon KIA roster. 

Deft joins DWG for 2023 season

A one-year deal is all we got from Deft this offseason. After years of failing to find success on the international stage, he is finally a World Champion. Now, heading into the 2023 season, DRX couldn’t afford to keep the band together. Winning the World Championship meant getting a late start in the offseason. But it worked out just great for teams willing to throw any amount of money at them.

That’s how we got here. The most storied Korean League of Legends player not named Faker is on Damwon Kia for 2023. In case you forgot, this team still has players like Canyon and Showmaker. You know, those guys that won the World Championship in 2020, by a landslide I might add. Yes Nuguri just retired and won’t be joining them for the third shot at the Worlds title, but they managed to get someone younger and more promising. 

Canna seeks redemption on 2023 Damwon roster

It’s been a rough twelve months for the young top lane prodigy. Just a year ago at the 2021 World Championships, we were talking about Canna as the next big thing. He was dominating the LCK the entire year, breaking records in almost every single game. A 21-year-old rookie was solo killing veterans as a side hustle while being the best top laner was his main gig. But then everything changed once T1 lost to Damwon in the semifinals at the World Championship.

While Canyon and Showmaker advanced to the Grand Finals, looking for their second Worlds title in as many years. Canna was the odd man out. Faker had just guided 4 promising rookies to the finish line, and now T1 were making changes. Out went Canna and in came Zeus.

Canna spent his 2022 campaign on a dysfunctional Nonshing Red Force roster who failed to register a winning record. Given the talent that roster possessed on paper, their failure dimmed a bad light on everyone involved. Including Canna. Now he joins his rivals on Damwon, looking to challenge his former teammates for the LCK and World title.

Damwon KIA coaching staff for 2023 season

A familiar face in the Korean community is coming back to be the head coach for the 2023 Damwon roster. Coach Acorn, who helped Deft make a name for himself during the 2014 World Championship, is taking over the DWG coaching staff. Those two being reunited sparks memories of the Deft-centric drafts Samsung Blue used to run in 2014. But that probably won’t be the case with a roster this talented this time around. Acorn is joining Damwon after 3 mediocre seasons on KT Rolster.

He will be joined by another well-established name in the LCK community. Former LCK journeyman and caster for the Korean Riot Games broadcast, GorillA, is joining Damwon KIA in 2023 as an assistant coach.

Header: Twitter/ Damwon Kia