Jankos joins Jackspektra on Heretics in LEC

In their first year in the LEC, Team Heretics are fielding an interesting combination of young talent and proven veterans. Reports say that jungler Jankos will be joining Heretics this offseason. This comes after both Spanish teams have settled on a buyout agreement.

Jankos leaving G2 after 5 memorable years

It really does feel like the end of an era in European League of Legends. Only mid-laner Caps remains from the infamous 2019 G2 roster. This is after a five year reign of dominance over the old continent. Reports surfaced that both jungler Jankos and bot laner Flakked were made available by G2. As a result of their World Championship run ending prematurely. And while Flakked was coming off a solid rookie year, the contract G2 gave Jankos last offseason made moving him harder than imagined. There were rumors that fan-favorite Jankos had fallen victim to the same predatory contract policies that Perkz and Rekkles faced before him.

And while everyone was wondering who would pay the massive buyout, G2 management stepped in. The veteran jungler’s best days were behind him, but he still had value . If Carlos Ocelote was still the CEO this move would probably never have happened. But Jankos is now a Heretics member for just $100 000. G2 saw the writing on the wall as their most popular content creator took off for his annual Korean boot camp. The greatest European jungler is now joining a squad of proven winners at multiple levels, so his guidance should play a major role in the trajectory of this team.

Peter Dun returns to Europe as Head Coach for Team Heretics

Signing Jankos might be a good move to draw some fans, as Heretics transition into the LEC. But an even better move is hiring someone with a proven track record of developing teams to spearhead that transition. Reports say that the former Head Coach of Evil Geniuses in the LCS, Peter Dun, has agreed to step in the same role for Heretics. In his time across the pond, Peter Dun made Evil Geniuses the best team in the region in less than two years.

His time in the LCS

A big advocate of developing native talent, he helped create a roster North American fans were actually excited for. Prying away talented support Vulcan from Cloud9 was the first step but certainly not the last. He promoted former Fortnite pro and mid-laner Jojopyun, alongside bot laner Danny from the development ranks to the main roster.

Rounding out the roster with LEC MVP Inspired and World Champion Impact brought Evil Geniuses their first LCS Championship. After winning the Spring Split in 2022, EG would go on to place fourth at MSI and secure the first seed during the Summer Split. And while EG faltered at the World Championship due to roster shuffles and a tougher group, they still looked like the best LCS team in the circuit.

Now, Peter Dun goes back to Europe to craft another contender with a proven track record. But he had done just that even before he left. Leading the MAD Lions Academy before they merged with Splyce in the LEC, which gave us talents like Humanoid, Carzzy, and Kaiser. Mind you those guys won two LEC championships after he left, so he definitely has an eye for talent. 

Joining the coaching staff alongside him will be former Rogue coach Christopher “SeeEl” Lee, who joined the team heading into the 2022 season. The Korean strategic coach helped Rogue defeat their demons of the past, with a first-place finish during the Spring Split and winning their first LEC Championship during the summer. Picking up two of the brightest coaching minds in the scene is a surefire way to guarantee a smooth transition, especially if you have championship aspirations. 

Support Mersa joins Jackspektra in the Heretics bot lane

And all those fundamentally sound coaches need a star player to make their vision a reality. And luckily for Heretics, they have the homegrown bot laner Jackspektra. This might sound like a lot of pressure to put on a young player, but anyone who has watched the regional league in Europe knows the caliber of this player. Being a highly touted prospect for a couple of years wasn’t enough to warrant an LEC debut, but now he is going there as a champion. Team Heretics won the Spanish LVP Liga in Summer and finished first in the 2022 Summer EU Masters circuit. Cementing himself as one of the best players on the continent just as his organization purchased their LEC slot from Misfits. 

He will be sharing the lane with support Mersa, who debuted as a rookie on that aforementioned Misfits roster in 2022. Despite learning on the fly, the youngster showed promise and playmaking potential, alongside a high-level bot laner in Neon. The hope with Heretics is that Peter Dun and the Jankos acquisition will help Mersa develop his game sense and positioning, as he is the youngest player on the squad.

Evi and Ruby join the Heretics solo lanes 

While it might have flown under the radar for most people, Heretics have imported both of their solo laners. Japanese top laner Evi is reportedly joining the Heretics roster on a one-year deal. The international audience got introduced to Evi through his performances during the World Championship tournaments these past few years, for LJL champions Detonation Focus Me. 

On the other side of the Baron pit, Korean mid laner Ruby, will be taking over the starting role. This move was highly criticized by the community due to the fact that Heretics had just won the EU Masters tournament, thanks to superb mid lane play. Mid laner Zwyroo showed up in the finals against former LEC mid laner Reeker, closing out a five-game series with a dominant Azir performance. He displayed a deep champion pool for ERL standards, playing four unique champions over the course of the series. And yet, he is getting replaced by a mid laner he eliminated in the quarter-finals. It seems management and the coaching staff have seen something promising if they are willing to throw an unproven commodity in the starting mid lane role.

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