League of Legends: Hans Sama's redemption

After Steven "Hans Sama" Liv won the MVP of 2024 LEC's Season Finals, this Sunday, he got asked if he considers himself as the best AD Carry in the West. "I wouldn't say that I am the best, I still have to prove more and I really put a lot of effort in making myself stronger" he answered, very humbly. Humility is indeed a term that could caracterize the man, but also the player and his career. The 25 years-old Frenchman went through a lot, especially recently as some thought he even was on the decline. But yet again, he humbled the doubters during these Season Finals.

Hans Sama actually belongs to the veteran category in the League of Legends' EMEA competitive ecosystem. Only Jankos, Mikyx, Wunder and Hylissang have been in the league longer than him and are still there today. The AD Carry joined the Europe's elite in 2017 (at the time LCS EU) as part of the late Misfits team. He made it to Worlds on his first year, and his team made sensation there, by being one game away from eliminating the three times Worlds champions, SKT T1, in quarter-finals (2-3).

Over the next two years, Hans and his team did not achieve anything which is why he decided to move on by joining Rogue. With the Kacper "Inspired" Słoma/Emil "Larssen" Larsson duo, he found a team much more ambitious and qualified again for Worlds 2020. With only one win on the group stage, his team did not escape the group of death (with Damwong, JDG and PSG Talon) but the Frenchman - eventhough Inspired played only through botlane - did prove he had the ability to win the lane against any opponent, including those from the East.

With the addition of Adrian "Trymbi" Trybus and Andrei "Odoamne" Pascu in 2021, the team was aiming even higher but crumbled in spring final against Mad Lions, as they got reverse swept. Rogue ended third in summer and qualified again for Worlds while Hans confirmed he was one of the best AD Carry in the league as he made his way twice to the Second All Pro Team. With Trymbi enabling him, the French marksman seemed to reveal himself even more on the international stage. Despite being again in the group of death and not making it farther, the team had a much better showing and Hans Sama, especially, registered countless highlights while being undoubtedly the best player of his team.

For 2022, Inspired and Hans decided to quit Rogue, fly to North-America, and compete in the LCS. The AD Carry joined Team Liquid super-team, and that's where his down period got started. On paper, his team full of superstars should've been North American uncontested champions in both splits. While they didn't made it to final in spring, they didn't even make it to third place in summer meaning for the first time in 3 years, Hans Sama would not participate at Worlds. And he was far from blameless, since he had for sure the worst individual year of his entire career. While his former team, Rogue, finally won LEC Summer split with his replacement Markos "Comp" Stamkopoulos being elected MVP from every Rogue win in playoffs.

But this terrible trip in NA did not influence Europe feelings about Hans Sama's potential. The Frenchman indeed was the central piece of the 2023 off-season, after anouncing his intention to return on his homesoil, seemingly much more conducive to his success. Willing to play with his good friend Mihael "Mikyx" Mehle, Hans Sama joined G2 Esports, another super team and this time, he did not flop.

The Samurai only lost spring but won everything else regionally this year, even if on the international stage, their botlane seemed to have much more struggles, for a fact Hans' direct opposites both got MVP of their series against G2 (Peyz and Elk). In addition, Hans Sama lived a bit under the shadow of his support, which was elected MVP of the year, and his sololaners who took away most of MVP of the series titles from him. Although he did not individually came back on his standards, he was getting closer to it and finally won some titles.

In 2024, Hans had to live again in Caps' shadow who had one of his best year ever, and acccording to the Danish standards "one of his best year ever" means a truly amazing one. Yet again, he showed solid performances throughout the whole year. Moreover, at MSI, even though Gumayusi again won the MVP of the series against G2 after a very close one (2-3), Hans therefore gapped one of the most iconic ADCs of all time. Indeed, The Samurai broke the curse in BO5 against Asian teams by winning in a convincing fashion against Jackeylove's Top Esports (3-0), and guess who got the MVP of the series this time...Hans.

In LEC Season Finals, the AD Carry proved once again that he can be G2 Esports' main character when needed. While he only got one MVP of the game/series during the entire 2024 year of LEC, out of the four MVPs in Season Finals, the Frenchman got three of them, and the most important one, in Grand Final.

As it showed against TES, maybe it was the missing ingredient to G2 finally achieving success on the international stage. Perhaps Hans Sama's finding back his confidence and rhythm, elevating his teamfighting skills (since he's always been a reliable laner anyway) and finally enabled to carry his team will be the key for G2, at Worlds. That is all the region can wish for, as Steven Liv blows out its twenty-fifth candle this Monday.