Sources: Hazel set to join KC Blue Stars

Announced last month, Karmine Corp Blue Stars (KCBS) is the third League of Legends team of Karmine Corp. The goal of this new roster will be to develop talent within the organization. KCBS will be competing in the LFL Second Division, but as the only academy team in the league, they are selecting players based on a very unique criteria: no player older than 19 is eligible to join the roster.

Despite other organizations such as 100 Thieves or Team Vitality building similar projects in the past, none had set such a strict criteria on age before.

On Sunday, sources told to Sheep Esports that KCBS has finalized their recruitment process for the AD Carry position. Costin "Hazel" Pestrițu, formerly of LUA Gaming, has reached a verbal agreement with the team.

Hazel stands out from the rest of the expected roster as he already possesses ERL experience despite only being 17-year-old. In 2024, the Romanian player competed in the Superliga after LUA Gaming's promotion to the top tier of Spanish competition. Hazel rightfully secured his place on that roster, after contributing to the team’s successful promotion.

Despite a challenging split that saw LUA Gaming finish in eighth place, Hazel garnered attention as a promising talent among fans. While returning to the second division of an ERL may seem like a step backward, the LFL Second Division has consistently been regarded as stronger than some of the less competitive unaccredited ERLs. While he might benefit from Karmine Corp's experience and staff in the higher leagues, being on a team geared towards development will hopefully prove to be a valuable experience.

With Hazel's selection, two other notable botlaners who competed in the tryouts, 19-year-old Corentin "Xay" Leclercq and 17-year-old Mario "Exofeng" Emilov Strugov, will not be joining the KCBS project.

The remaining roster spots for Blue Stars have yet to be reported. According to Sheep Esports, the team may include relatively unknown players, aligning with KCBS's mission to foster emerging talent. It will be interesting to see how these players perform in a league increasingly dominated by more experienced rosters aiming to secure promotion to the LFL.

Karmine Corp Blue Stars represents a bold step toward investing in the future of League of Legends esports. Their progress in the LFL Second Division will undoubtedly be closely monitored by fans and analysts alike.