This is, at this stage, the biggest surprise of the (brief) offseason between the LEC Winter and Spring Splits.
As reported by Sheep Esports this Wednesday, Yasin âNisqyâ Dinçer is set to join Team Vitality, but more notably, he will be role-swapping to support. The club officially confirmed the roster change just minutes after our article was published, while Nisqy himself was live on
Twitch. Seizing the opportunity, he opened up about the reasons behind his decision to leave the midlane and transition to the bot side of the map.
As a reminder, the Belgian-Turkish player was sidelined by SK Gaming at the end of the 2024 season and had initially decided to take a break after withdrawing from a verbal agreement with Shopify Rebellion in LTAN. Nisqy explained that his original plan was to wait until the Summer Splitâor even the end of the seasonâto find a new team as a midlaner. However, according to him, his repeated trips to Berlin, where the LEC takes place, reignited his competitive drive. âI felt like I wanted to play again,â he summed up.
Nisqy first inquired with various teams to see if a midlane spot might open up, not necessarily for the Spring Split. However, no opportunities materialized.
âI donât know why. I feel like my level on mid is quite strong,â he admitted. At the end of the Winter Split, following
their early elimination from playoffs, Vitality reached out to him with an unexpected proposal: a role swap. Nisqy noted that this wasnât the first time a team had suggested he switch roles, and the reasoning was always the same.
"I felt like I had that fire again"
âI have good map awareness, strong communication, and Iâm not afraid to engage,â he listed. Indeed, Nisqy built his reputation as a midlaner with a "supportive" playstyle, excelling at enabling his junglers. We saw this during his stint at Cloud9, where Dennis "Sverskeren" Johnsen and then Robert "Blaber" Huang were named MVP of the 2019 Summer Split and 2020 Spring Split respectively, playing with Nisqy. Though his return to Europe allowed him to diversify his approach. âAt first, I wasnât a fan of the idea,â he admitted. âI wasnât convinced of my level, or even of whether I would enjoy the role.â He also acknowledged that he has only a month to prepare, as the Spring Split is set to begin on March 29.
This offer explains why Nisqy recently started playing support on stream. âAnd I felt like I had that fire againâthe same feeling I had when I played mid,â he detailed. âI want to spam games, watch VODs, learn how to play lanes, master teamfights... Itâs given me a lot of motivation.â Most importantly, Nisqy quickly reached out to MatyĂĄĆĄ "Carzzy" OrsĂĄg, the AD Carry of Vitality. The two are not just former teammates; they won the 2023 Spring Split together under the MAD Lions banner.
Nisqy lifting the 2023 LEC Spring Split Trophy alongside Carzzy. Credit: Michal Konkol/Riot Games
âEvery time I was asked to role swap before, I wasnât interested in playing with the ADC in question,â Nisqy recalled. âBut for me, Carzzy is the best AD. Heâs strong, he has tons of experience, and we get along really well.â The Czech player reportedly played a key role in convincing Nisqy to join, assuring him that he had great potential as a support. âHe was excited about the role swap,â Nisqy emphasized, explaining that they will now be grinding 2v2 matchups together and reviewing VODs.
"The first split might not be easy"
Another decisive factor was Vitalityâs coaching staff. Carzzy and Nisqy won the 2023 Spring Split under the guidance of James "Mac" MacCormack and Patrick "Pad" Suckow-Breum, who are now at the helm of Vitality. âItâs not a random choice,â Nisqy insisted. âItâs not completely calculated, but it kind of is.â
However, Nisqy is fully aware that he is currently behind his competitors. âIâm at the bottom. My laning phase is weak,â he acknowledged. âBut I genuinely think Iâll be the hungriest to improve out of all the supports. In Europe, most supports are just content with being âokay.â Thereâs Mikyx (Mihael Mehle, Fnatic), Jun (Yoon Se-jun, GIANTX), Alvaro (Ălvaro FernĂĄndez del Amo, Movistar KOI), and Targamas (RaphaĂ«l CrabbĂ©, Karmine Corp), but aside from that, thereâs room at the top.â In the short term, his primary objective is to develop strong synergy with Carzzy to establish a solid laning phase. âThe first split might not be easy,â he anticipated. âBut if Iâm not a top-four support by Summer, for me, it's a failure. I know I can do it. If I put in the work, I can reach the top.â
Vitalityâs newest recruit concluded by shedding light on his long-term plans regarding the midlane. He revealed that he has signed with the organization until November 2025. âIf I achieve my goal by the end of the year, thereâs a high chance Iâll remain a support, potentially in the LEC. But if I flopâif I end up being the worst support in the leagueâthen chances are I wonât continue. Maybe Iâll go back to mid, maybe Iâll quit entirely... You never know what the future holds.â Though Nisqy is confident he will avoid disaster, he nonetheless asked for some patience as he adjusts to his new role. âAt least give me a game or two,â he playfully told his chat.
Header Photo Credit: Team Vitality/X