Shanghai Dragons part ways with newly re-signed Diem days before 2023 OWL season

Shanghai Dragons have just announced they have parted ways with Diem, who just recently came out of retirement in March, just days before the 2023 Overwatch League season is set to start. 

Bae “diem” Min-seong just came out of retirement back March 9, 2023. Right as the off season was closing in and with a surprise role swap to support. However, just days before the 2023 OWL season starts, he is returning to retirement once again. 

In an announcement by the Shanghai Dragons, the organization revealed how they parting ways with the DPS legend turned flex support just days before the start of the 2023 OWL Season. 

“After engaging in amicable and in-depth discussions between both parties, our esteemed player “diem” has decided to take a hiatus from the game to focus on personal health issues” the announcement wrote. Also confirming that diem is now a free agent. 

Just a day before the announcement however, the Dragons announced they were picking up Seung-Hyeon “Ir1s” Kim. Which confused many OWL fans as when they picked him up it brought the total number of flex support players to four. 

But it seems the signing was meant to replace diem’s sudden re-entry to retirement. Diem’s return into OWL in 2023 saw him play no matches, and it only lasted for a total of one month and 17 days.

Diem first retired in early 2021 from OWL since landing a spot on the Dragons in 2019. It had seen him win almost every trophy in OWL, except the Champs trophy. He would go on to see his team lift it in 2021. 

The 2023 OWL Season for both the East and West regions is starting up this week, and you can check out our coverage of the Season here.