Weibo Gaming is heading into the 2023 League of Legends World Championship finals. This is the second time top laner Kang "TheShy" Seung-lok will be participating in the finals, which has some people wondering whether he's the best top laner to ever play the game.
It's the second time top laner TheShy makes it to the League of Legends World Championship finals. In 2018 as a 19-year-old he managed to win it all in his home country, South Korea, against Fnatic. Now, five-years later he's back on the biggest stage once more.
TheShy has always been a pretty aggressive player, which has prompted some to deem him "washed" and unable to play at the highest level, but with him possibly becoming only the second top laner to win two World Championships, the debate whether he's the best of all time has come up once more.
LoL Worlds 2023: Is TheShy The Best Top Laner Of All Time?
Kang "TheShy" Seung-lok started his pro-career in China with Invictus Gaming in 2017. In 2018, he won the World Championship. In December 2021 he moved to Weibo Gaming.
In 2016, T1 won their third World Championship with Faker at the helm. One of the quiet unsung heroes was none other than their top laner Lee "Duke" Ho-seong who is the only top laner to have won two World Championships. In 2018, Duke won it a second time with Invictus Gaming, where he was the back-up for none other than TheShy.
If TheShy and Weibo Gaming manage to beat T1 in the 2023 League of Legends World Championship finals, then he will be the second top laner to win multiple Worlds titles and the first to do so in a starting position. Those stats should definitely be worth 'best top laner in the world', right?
Well, it seems that the player himself doesn't think he should receive such a high honor. During the 2023 League of Legends World Championship media day he stated that he doesn't think the concept of 'best top laner of all time' can be discussed due to the nature of the role itself.
Top lane is not a role that carries games, so even if I win the World Cup, I don’t think I would become the greatest top laner of all time. I don’t think you can discuss the concept of being the best top laner of all time.
It is true, that the top lane currently doesn't hold much agency, but there can still be a discussion surrounding the specific players who play the role. So, if the best top laner of all time isn't the shy, then who is in your opinion? My vote – totally biased – would go to Smeb.