Sources: Karmine Corp add 18-year-old Lebanese prospect to Blue Stars

He is a name European fans may want to keep an eye on. Hamza “Panda2” Siala, an 18-year-old Lebanese midlaner, has drawn significant attention from scouts and teams during the 2025–2026 offseason as organizations looked to secure the next generation of talent. After weighing multiple options, Panda2 ultimately chose to join Karmine Corp Blue Stars, Karmine Corp’s third team, which focuses on developing players aged 19 and under. He will take over the midlane position previously held by the 17-year-old Mathis “MathisV” Vannieuwenuyse. This information was rumoured by KC Aron on X and confirmed by sources to Sheep Esports.

Panda2 is widely regarded as a high-upside prospect thanks to his standout mechanics, precise movement, and sharp micro play, according to several experts consulted by Sheep Esports. One of them is Nicolas Perez, former LEC coach for GIANTX and now known for running a Discord server dedicated to developing young talent, who is already very familiar with the player. “He has enormous potential. You don’t reach 1,600 LP at 18 years old on 70 ms by accident,” Perez told Sheep Esports.

“I’ve rarely seen someone so mature at that age, with such a strong work ethic. He lives and breathes League of Legends every single day. I have no doubt we’ll see him in the LEC within two or three years.”

That said, Panda2 is still transitioning from a Solo Queue-focused environment to structured team play. His tendency to take aggressive risks remains an area for improvement, though one that is widely considered fixable. With more experience, it could help him evolve into a far more complete midlaner.

Panda2 does not arrive at Karmine Corp Blue Stars without prior competitive experience. In 2025, he played for One More Esports in the Arabian League. The Summer Split proved challenging, with the team finishing eighth and last in the standings, forcing them into the promotion tournament, where they ultimately secured their place back in the league.

Despite the results, One More’s manager, Maurice “Kurama” Ulrich Marcel Marquardt, spoke very highly of Panda2’s time with the organization and his personal development throughout the year.

According to Kurama, Panda2’s situation varied greatly from split to split. He was benched before the Winter Split due to roster decisions and scheduling constraints, though his scrim performances were solid. During Spring, the team committed to him as their starting midlaner, and he quickly impressed with his professionalism and motivation, even while expanding his champion pool—learning Azir late into the split.

Kurama described Panda2 as one of the most professional players he has worked with in the past five years, highlighting his daily routine, discipline, and constant review work both alone and with teammates. While team issues and external factors affected results, particularly in the summer, Panda2 continued to improve week after week and was often the team’s primary win condition.

Perhaps most striking were the circumstances under which Panda2 competed. Living in Lebanon during a period of regional instability, he was unable to play consistently from home due to safety concerns, electricity issues, and the broader conflict in the region. As a result, he spent the entire year playing from a gaming café, an expensive necessity that consumed most of his earnings and limited his Solo Queue time. On some evenings, he even joined team activities from his phone to save paid gaming hours.

Despite these challenges, Kurama emphasized that Panda2 was never toxic, never late, always fulfilled his social media obligations, and consistently tried to learn even under difficult coaching situations. His strongest qualities, according to One More’s staff, were his laning phase and mechanical skill, placing him among the best mechanically gifted players the organization has ever fielded.

Panda2’s potential naturally attracted interest from multiple organizations during the offseason. G2 NORD explored the option of signing him for the Prime League, but ultimately opted for 19-year-old Alex “Toasty” Chea as the team prioritized immediate stability. Another ERL organization, coming from the Benelux, also identified Panda2 as a cornerstone for a roster built with EMEA Masters ambitions, reportedly offering to surround him with experienced veterans to accelerate his development and looking for a solution to host him outside of Lebanon.

In the end, Panda2 declined those offers in favor of Karmine Corp’s Blue Stars project, seeing it as the best long-term opportunity within KC’s ecosystem and a potential pathway toward higher levels of competition.

Karmine Corp Blue Stars will not be limited to Tier 3 competition. The team will compete in the Nexus League, formerly known as LFL Division 2, and will also participate in the LFL Invitational, where they will have the opportunity to qualify for Tier 2 and secure a spot in the LFL.

For Panda2, the move represents both stability and opportunity, an environment designed to refine his raw talent and give him the structure needed to take the next step in his career and aim to promote through Karmine Corp's ecosystem.