The 2026 League of Legends Mid-Season Invitational starts in just nine days. Foreign media recently released the MSI assist leaderboard. Unsurprisingly, Faker ranks first with 838 total assists. But this number will soon be surpassed by Keria, who has 807 assists. Even if T1 goes out in the first round, Keria can still overtake Faker. On is also in contention, with his assists now at 747.

Furthermore, foreign media also analyzed the win rates of the champion Draven. Among the three top Draven players, JKL ranks second with a 61.4% win rate over 44 games, while Hans Sama leads with a 62% win rate across 50 games. Gumayusi has played 29 games but only has a 58% win rate. Based purely on stats, Hans Sama's Draven is indeed stronger, but performing well in the European region might not be convincing enough.

GEN joins MSI practice matches

After losing to T1 in the lower bracket final and missing out on MSI, GEN recently announced that the team will not take a break. Once MSI scrims begin, GEN will compete against the strongest teams to prepare and strive to return to the international stage. This free sparring session from GEN is likely in consideration for EWC, as the Esports World Cup kicks off in July after MSI. As a participating team, they definitely need to find their rhythm early.

However, many T1 fans are opposed to GEN participating in these scrims. Previously, GEN's coaching staff revealed T1's level-one setups and ward placements before an international event, sparking considerable controversy. By joining these scrims, there's a concern that GEN might privately disclose more of their research on T1. Of course, these are just speculations from viewers with no concrete evidence.

Oner admits he wants to face TES

T1's jungler and AD recently appeared on an interview show where they discussed regional differences. Peyz believes that LPL teams fight more frequently and aggressively than LCK teams, often clashing on sight. Oner stated that he regularly watches matches from top LPL teams. As a jungler, he focuses on pathing and has learned a lot from seeing various ways to gain advantages through movement.

When asked about MSI, Oner was questioned: which team does he most want to encounter? Oner said he'd like to play against all teams, but if he had to choose, he prefers TES because he has faced BLG too many times. This idea from Oner seems a bit unrealistic. T1 and TES are both in the fourth seed pool and are placed in different halves of the bracket. If they were to meet, it would have to be in the second round of the lower bracket or the upper bracket final.

HLE midlaner Zeka hits rank 1 on the Korean server

MSI participating teams have been traveling to Korea recently. The level of Korean solo queue has likely increased significantly. HLE midlaner Zeka recently reached rank 1 on the Korean server with a high score of 2802. Topping both the league and the ranked ladder, Zeka's form this year is truly impressive. LCK's decision to have him as a substitute for the Asian Games and the National Cup was absolutely correct.

Surprisingly, the second place on the Korean server is ShowMaker, with a score of 2700, just 102 points behind Zeka. DK is indeed a peculiar team—three of their players are in the top 10 of the Korean server, yet they underperform in actual matches. Third place goes to HLE's second-team AD, who, though unknown, has reached 2679 points. In recent years, the Korean scene has seen a steady emergence of new talents, with rising stars appearing every season.

Conclusion:

If T1 makes it out of the play-in stage, they will face BLG in the first round of the knockout stage. Although Oner doesn't want this matchup, the two teams must still compete. BLG, after some time off, is a bit concerning. Every time they return from a break, BLG tends to make some big mistakes. If they fail to hold against T1 and fall to the lower bracket, they will likely face criticism again.

So, what do you think are the odds between BLG and T1?

Feel free to leave your comments below!