The LOL professional league has been incredibly popular for over a decade. In recent seasons, more and more veterans have faded from the scene due to declining performance. Besides the LPL, the other four major regions have mostly completed their roster changes. In our region, there are very few top newcomers, and the veterans still competing are gradually decreasing in number; if they retire in the coming seasons, it will truly be a sad situation.

However, compared to the LPL, the decline in the popularity of the LTA North American region is noticeably faster. To increase attention, Riot had no choice but to merge the wildcard region with North America. This year, aside from FLY, North America has hardly any noteworthy teams, a situation caused by the laziness of North American players, many of whom are capable veterans that have already retired or moved on to other ventures.

The ID Jensen is familiar to longtime fans. As the "North American Light," he has made multiple appearances at the World Championship throughout his career and consistently led his teams to break records in international competitions for the LCS region. As a mid-laner, he is undoubtedly a legendary player. This veteran, who has been a professional for over a decade, recently announced his retirement. On August 3rd, Jensen officially stated his departure from the League of Legends professional scene.

Longtime fans affectionately call him "Emperor Jian." Jensen became a professional player in the S2 season. Early in his career, he faced a ban from Riot for toxic behavior and negative gameplay in ranked matches. After reforming in S5, he was unbanned by Riot and officially began his professional journey. Although he wasted nearly two years, Jensen's talent was exceptional, and in his first year of competition, he led C9 to the World Championship.

In the following eight years, Jensen never missed a World Championship. The S8 season marked his peak, where he led his team to a 3:0 victory against LCK's AFS, reaching the semifinals and setting a new record for North America in the global finals. After transferring to TL in S9, he reached the Mid-Season Invitational finals, defeating peak IG 3:1. Although they ultimately lost to G2, he once again set the best record for the LCS at the Mid-Season Championship.

At that time, IG was a championship-caliber team. After S9, when Water Brother left, the Incheon roster was disbanded. Losing to North America's TL became a significant embarrassment in IG's history. After three years with TL, Jensen returned to C9 and still managed to lead the team to the World Championship. However, for four consecutive years, he could not advance past the group stage. The once-great mid-laner began to fade, and in S13, he missed the World Championship, marking a downturn in his career.

In the final S14 season, although Jensen participated in the Mid-Season Championship, he missed the World Championship and chose to step back from competition. He spent the entire year without finding a team and ultimately decided to retire, ending his professional career. In the same region, there is another notable mid-laner, but in terms of international performance, Jensen surpasses him. After his retirement, it seems unlikely that the LCS will see another mid-laner of such caliber.

As the North American mage king, Jensen's best and highest win-rate champion is Orianna. During last year's MSI against PSG, he achieved the milestone of 100 games with Orianna, boasting a total record of 75 wins and 25 losses, giving him a win rate of 75%. To maintain such a win rate after competing at the World Championship for several years is quite impressive; he truly deserves the title of mage king, but unfortunately, he won't be able to play for more years.

Conclusion:

Currently, there are very few local mid-laners in the North American region. Most teams have brought in Korean players from the LCK. It is challenging to find another local talent like Jensen, and the international records he set are unlikely to be broken. Although FLY is still decent, they are not quite at the level of peak C9.

What are your thoughts on Jensen?

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