LoL - LCK Cup: Keria Picked LeBlanc Support Against HLE, the First in Korea Since 2014

Since the beginning of the year, the widespread introduction of the Fearless Draft in competitive League of Legends has led to a surge in unconventional champion picks. Unsurprisingly, this system has been a real asset for T1 support Ryu “Keria” Min-seok, known for his unorthodox selections—he notably played Ezreal and Lee Sin last season. On Thursday, the two-time reigning world champion once again pushed the boundaries, locking in LeBlanc for the first time in his career during Game 3 against Hanwha Life Esports in the opening round of the LCK Cup playoffs.

Until the final moments of the draft, T1 made it seem as though LeBlanc would be played by legend Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok, which, had it been the case, would have added another champion to Keria’s extensive pool. In that same game, T1 also drafted the LCK’s first-ever Mel, who ultimately ended up in the hands of their midlaner. However, despite the hype generated by the draft, T1 failed to make a significant impact in the game. Keria, too quiet throughout the match, finished with a disappointing KDA of 1/4/2, falling short of expectations.

LeBlanc support was first played in the LCK 12 years ago. Lee “PoohManDu” Jeong-hyeon pioneered the pick during GSG’s match against KT Rolster B in the 2013 Winter Split. After four consecutive losses in South Korea—including two for GSG and PoohManDu—the pick finally secured its first victory in North America. Despite a modest KDA of 3/4/4, Miles “Daydreamin” Hoard led Good Game University to a win over CompLexity Gaming in the NA LCS Spring Split.

Afterward, the pick almost disappeared from the meta across all regions — it had not been played in the LCK since April 2014 — but conversely became popular in LPL between 2014 and 2015. Absent from competitions for three years, it resurfaced in 2018 in the LMS during the Summer Split, when Team Afro support Kim “Rainbow” Soo-gi attempted to play LeBlanc support—paired with a Trundle ADC—against MAD Team. The experiment was unsuccessful, though Rainbow still finished the game with two kills, doubling the elimination count of each of his four teammates.

Despite sporadic appearances over the next years, LeBlanc support has remained a niche pick, with its most recent professional showing before Keria’s game dating back to March 2024 in the Greek ERL, the GLL. Since 2013, the pick has appeared in 36 competitive games, recording 12 wins and 24 losses, for a win rate of 33.33%.