Biofrost explains why leaving TSM in 2017 was the best thing he’s done
Returning Team SoloMid superstar Vincent ‘Biofrost’ Wang has revealed that leaving the NA organization where he won three back-to-back championships may have been the best thing he’s done in his League of Legends career.
Canadian support Biofrost was a relative unknown when he was first announced as TSM’s replacement for outgoing veteran Bora ‘YellOwStaR’ Kim, who had struggled to click with bot laner Yilliang ‘Doublelift’ Peng in LCS 2016 Spring.
TSM had finished second behind arch-rivals Counter Logic Gaming that season, just months after poaching Doublelift for the new star-studded roster they had built around Soren ‘Bjergsen’ Bjerg, and the org was looking for a change.
As it turned out, the young 19-year-old they plucked from relative obscurity on Dream Team would be the key to TSM’s return to the North American throne.
The roster, which was rounded out with European jungler Dennis ‘Svenskeren’ Johnsen and enigmatic top laner Kevin ‘Hauntzer’ Yarnell, forged a dynasty with three consecutive first-place finishes, and three championship titles.
Biofrost forged an LCS dynasty with Bjergsen and Doublelift in 2016 and 2017.
For many, the 2016 and 2017 iterations of TSM was one of the strongest rosters the LCS had ever seen, both on Summoner’s Rift, and in popularity through media, the long-standing TSM: Legends series, and regular all-access content.
After two consecutive 9th-12th place finishes at the World Championship, which franchise owner Andy ‘Reginald’ Dinh had made the NA team’s main aim, however, Biofrost, Svenskeren, and Doublelift were released from the roster.
According to Biofrost, who soon found a new home with CLG at the start of LCS franchising, the roster change was the best thing that could have happened to him in his competitive League of Legends career.
“When you change teams, you gain a lot of perspective, and when I was first on TSM I came in as a rookie with four veterans, and it was hard to establish myself,” the now-rusted on star, who made his 200th LCS appearance last split, explained.
Biofrost says he had to find himself away from TSM before he could return.
After winning everything with a pantheon of superstars, Biofrost said that he needed time to be a leader on his own team, and step out of the limelight of global megastars like Doublelift and Bjergsen, before he could really find himself.
“When I left, I was able to play with different players, gain new perspectives, and really search for what I want to do as a player. It was very helpful, as a person I feel like I also have grown. I don’t know if it was just age, but I feel like a more well-rounded person now.”
Now, the 23-year-old is stepping back into the darkened grey and white of the Los Angeles organization, two years after originally being shown the door.
“Well, I’m back on TSM now,” he said. “It’s been two years since I left, and it just feels really strange that I’m back. I do feel a lot older now, too, and it feels kind of fitting that I’ve come back to TSM. I did really want to come back.”
Biofrost has spent the past two years leading CLG post-franchising.
There are a few concerns that the support star has, however. He’s worried that he may not be able to reach the same heights that he did in the three-time championship roster he first made his name. And he’s worried about the fans.
“To the hardcore TSM fans, hopefully, you’re keen to welcome me back,” he said, acknowledging that not every transfer between longstanding LCS rivals TSM and CLG has been welcomed with open arms in the past.
“I know I had a lot of good memories with TSM, and hopefully, I’ll make many more.”
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Biofrost is reportedly set to be joined in the bot lane by Worlds quarterfinalist Kasper ‘Kobbe’ Kobberup, who is set to leave Splyce after a four-year tenure representing the Vipers in the European Championship.
TSM’s major bot lane shift isn’t the only changes the LCS will see ahead of 2020 either, with Jesper ‘Zven’ Svenningsen reportedly taking Zachary ‘Sneaky’ Scuderi’s place in Cloud9’s duo lane, while Tristan ‘Zeyzal’ Stidam heads to Evil Geniuses.
The former C9 support will be joined in a new fledgling superteam by MVP jungler Svenskeren, and former SKT world champion Bae ‘Bang’ Jun-sik.
Keep track of all of League of Legends’ ongoing news and transfers in the Championship Series with Dexerto’s dedicated offseason roster tracker.