As
sources told Sheep Esports, Kaan "
Naak Nako" Okan is set to join Vitality LEC next season, replacing current toplaner Kyeong "
Photon" Gyu-tae. This roster move means that Vitality will cease to field Photon in their roster despite two seasons where they tried their best to integrate him into a foreign ecosystem. It's also a big name thrown in the jungle of the offseason left for teams to grab, since Photon is set to become free agent as of November 18th, according to the
Global Contract Database.
For Vitality: A rebuild in the Hands of Mac and Pad
Photon's arrival was before Vitality recruited the former MAD Lions staff James "
Mac" MacCormack and Patrick "
Pad" Suckow-Breum, the Korean toplaner, thus, wasn't specifically in the plans of the duo. With Linas "
Lyncas" Nauncikas's arrival during the season—a profile Mac and Pad pushed for—and Alexander "
Carter" Cartwright's
recent departure, it seems clear that Mac and Pad are in control of VIT's 2025 LEC project.
In addition, sources also said that Vitality were currently looking for midlane options. The current VIT midlaner, Vincent "Vetheo" Berrié, has on paper more links with Carter, who was his coach at Misfits and the first to give him a chance in LEC, than with Mac an Pad. This also echoes Matyáš "Carzzy" Orság's recent interview with IWD, in which he said that he and Zdravets "Hylissang" Iliev Galabov had trouble playing with Vetheo and Photon, who didn't appreciate the controlled chaos Carzzy and Hylissang thrive in.
For Photon: A major profile up that should arouse interests
Photon's profile could very well be one of the most sought-after toplaners in the LEC toplaners for the upcoming offseason, the Korean toplaner has had two strong seasons with Vitality, consistently setting himself above a drowning roster that missed the Season Finals twice. Often did he carry his team to victory on hypercarry picks such as Gwen, and most of a time, was he was a reliable player for his team mates..
Photon's role is also a major factor, the toplane in LEC (and in the ERLs) lacks major talent, with Sergen "BrokenBlade" Çelik dominating the role for two years without major contention, while profiles such as Adam "Adam" Maanane and Óscar "Oscarinin" Muñoz Jiménez, as promising as they look, haven't fully established their status as prime toplaners in general. Pretty much any team could be interested in Photon's services. Photon could play a domino role on the toplane, potentially becoming the first choice for many teams.
