Too soon to crown Keria second-best LoL player of all time.

Within the realm of League of Legends, discussions concerning the greatest of all time invariably focus on a singular individual. Yet, the competition for the second-best spot presents an entirely distinct challenge.

As of April 26, T1’s support specialist, Ryu “Keria” Min-seok, formalized an agreement to prolong his tenure with the organization through 2029. This new arrangement aligns his contractual period with that of the legendary Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok.

Nevertheless, Keria’s significant impact and remarkable skill have sparked a renewed debate: has he already achieved the status of the second-greatest League of Legends player ever, after Faker? Or is further demonstration of his capabilities still required?

Following the team’s achievement of a three-peat victory, it has become evident that Keria stands as the paramount support player in League’s chronicles. Keria himself acknowledged that claiming the title wasn’t his would be untruthful.

Despite universal agreement on his standing as the premier support, the community has engaged in discussion regarding his eligibility for the second-best position, trailing only his fellow teammate, Faker.

One user on Reddit commented, stating, “In my opinion, his resume is sufficiently robust for him to be recognized as the second-finest player to have ever engaged with the game. It’s truly astonishing for a support player to attain such an elevated status.”

Keria stands among the select group of individuals who have participated in every world championship since the commencement of his professional career. Upon reviewing his achievements, his track record appears even more extraordinary: encompassing a single top 8 placement, a single top 4, one runner-up position, and three world championship victories, alongside an LCK title, an Esports World Cup title, and multiple second-place rankings in the national competition.

Historically, assessing the support position in League of Legends has consistently presented a significant challenge. Although primary statistics are available for other roles, outstanding support players frequently go unnoticed unless they can generate truly memorable plays. Keria, however, has consistently manufactured such instances.

Throughout recent years, T1 has earned a reputation for its strategic reliance on its jungle-mid-support core, with the support always being instrumental in the team’s initiation and completion of plays.

During the last two championship events, Keria consistently sought to redefine the meta, spearheading efforts with unorthodox champion selections and successfully integrating them. For instance, in 2024, he deployed Bard and Pyke in vital matchups, including the Regional Finals versus KT Rolster, securing T1’s path to Worlds, and subsequently in decisive games against both Top Esports and Gen.G.

In the preceding year, a similar pattern emerged as Keria employed Seraphine to overcome Anyone’s Legend and Renata Glasc during the grand final confrontation with KT Rolster. The remarkable aspect of these choices lies in their intrinsic unpredictability — champions carrying substantial risk yet offering significant reward, necessitating almost flawless performance to yield favorable outcomes.

Despite this, Keria manages to execute these plays with apparent ease. He commands an extensive array of unconventional champions, establishing himself as a continuous danger to any opposing squad, particularly within the context of the Fearless Draft era.

It seems reasonable to assert that Keria holds the distinction of being the finest support player in League of Legends. He recently accepted this designation, a claim that went unchallenged. Indeed, numerous individuals expressed admiration for his subsequent remarks:

Keria stated, “To be truthful, it would be disingenuous for me to deny ownership of that particular title. Nevertheless, sustained adherence to such a mindset could potentially lead to arrogance. While I personally believe in my supremacy, I consistently endeavor to preserve space for an ongoing pursuit of enhancement.”

The unanimous consensus recognizing Keria as the top support player has initiated a separate discussion: Does he rank as the second-greatest player of all time, irrespective of role?

Although Keria’s influence and honors are undeniably substantial, longevity persists as a critical element in assessing a player’s historical standing in the game. Beyond Jian “Uzi” Zi-Hao, a member of the Hall of Legends, multiple individuals could reasonably contend for the second-highest ranking.

Park “Ruler” Jae-hyuk, the ADC for Gen.G, has maintained a position among the global elite of ADCs since commencing his professional career in 2016. Furthermore, Keria’s former teammate, Kim “Deft” Hyuk-kyu, established a legacy spanning a full decade prior to his world championship victory in 2022.

Even the jungler, Kim “Canyon” Geon-bu, largely considered the premier jungler globally for a significant portion of his career, warrants inclusion in this conversation.

All of these athletes have demonstrated their capabilities across diverse team compositions, distinct periods, and under varied conditions. Keria, despite his exceptional talent, has not yet faced this particular challenge.

This final argument frequently resurfaces. Excluding his initial year with DRX, Keria’s professional journey has been entirely with T1, playing beside the sport’s most legendary figure. A different Reddit user commented, “I will remain unconvinced until I witness him performing without Faker on his roster. That individual possesses unparalleled strategic acumen,” implying that Faker’s involvement complicates the assessment of Keria’s individual impact.

Furthermore, domestic achievements must be considered. While global championships hold substantial weight, LCK titles are also crucial, particularly considering the league’s reputation as the planet’s most fiercely contested in recent times. Keria possesses merely a single LCK championship, a figure that starkly contrasts with someone like Ruler, for instance, who has amassed several (four) national titles within the identical timeframe.

Therefore, does Keria hold the distinction of being the second-greatest League of Legends player ever? Not at this moment. However, his proximity to that status likely surpasses nearly all other active players.

When restricting our consideration to the contemporary epoch of League of Legends, the argument simplifies considerably. No current player rivals his sustained influence and dependable performance throughout the years, not even his fellow jungler, Mun “Oner” Hyeon-jun.

His contract extension through 2029 indicates T1’s perception of him as a pivotal figure in their forthcoming plans. Yet, when extending this evaluation across the complete history of LoL esports, Keria still needs to advance further.

Optimistically for him, the distance is rapidly diminishing. Each series he participates in contributes another layer to what is becoming one of the sport’s most impressive legacies. T1 isn’t necessarily required to secure numerous additional championships, provided Keria continues to demonstrate his capabilities on the Rift.

Currently, however, it remains premature to definitively conclude this discussion.