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Cloud9 can only seem to win with Hai on the roster. Why is he so important to the team?
When Hai temporarily retired from professional play last year, many thought it was the right move for Cloud9. The renowned shotcaller’s mechanics had deteriorated due to wrist injuries, making him something of a liability in the mid lane, unable to keep up with the ever-intensifying mechanical role. He simply couldn’t keep up in the 1v1 lane.
Following his departure, Cloud9 struggled to find their identity. The squad formerly known for their unified team play was in disarray, even with the much-touted European import Jensen (then known as Incarnati0n) holding down the mid lane. By the fifth week of the season, they found themselves near the bottom of the NA LCS table, sitting tied for 7th with a 3-7 record. Something needed to change.
The Return
That change came in the form of Hai stepping in for Meteos as Cloud9’s starting jungler. At first glance, it seemed like a questionable decision. Meteos had long been considered one of the best junglers in North America, and Hai had never jungled on North America’s biggest stage, despite starting his career as a jungler in the Challenger Series. It was incredibly risky, especially with Cloud9 on the brink of relegation.
At first, it seemed that the move was a bad one. Cloud9 lost their first two games with Hai back on the roster, dropping in quick succession to Team Liquid and Team 8 in week 6. Hai struggled to apply pressure around the map, even the power picks of Rek’Sai and Lee Sin.
The calls were getting better, though. Hai’s influence was felt in smarter objective pushes, better rotations, and generally smarter play all around. By week 7, they had shored up more than a few issues, allowing them to go 3-3 during the final three weeks and escape relegation (thanks to a won tiebreaker over Team8).
It wasn’t until the regional finals that Hai proved himself to be a vital element of Cloud9. With Hai leading them, they took down Gravity, Impulse, and Liquid on their way through the regional qualifier gauntlet. Hai had transformed Cloud9 from a team on the brink of relegation to a World Championship qualifier in the space of just a few weeks.
One thing became clear: Hai provides a leadership element that Cloud9 desperately needs.
A New Year, A New Role
Now, Cloud9 is adjusting again. They picked up 2015 NA LCS MVP Rush to take over in the jungle full time and Bunny FuFuu stepped into the support slot. That is, when Hai isn’t playing from the bottom lane himself. With the 2016 season ramping up, Hai and Bunny will be splitting support duties, with Hai coaching Bunny on shotcalling and Bunny helping Hai with his mechanical support play. For a team looking to rebuild this season, they’ll be looking towards the long term.
But for now, it seems that Hai is the way to go for the team. Despite his small champion pool (he’s only played Alistar on the LCS stage so far) and inexperience in the support role, he holds a personal 2-0 record this season.
Meanwhile, Cloud9 looks like an entirely different team with Bunny FuFuu leading them. Despite Bunny’s incredible mechanical skill, the squad hasn’t won with him on the Rift. Granted, it’s only been two weeks and Bunny FuFuu has big shoes to fill when to comes to the shotcalling role, but he’ll have to step up his game if Cloud9 hopes to keep him as their permanent support.
Secrets To Success
What makes Hai so invaluable for Cloud9 is difficult to pin down. On paper, Bunny FuFuu should outclass him in most regards. The former Gravity support has a vastly superior champion pool, incredible mechanics, and even places more wards per minute than Hai. He’s one of the best support players in the LCS, hands down.
But Hai has those intangibles that make up one of the best leaders League of Legends has ever seen. Cloud9 plays with decisiveness when he’s on the roster, bolstered by the confidence his expert shotcalling brings to the team. They rarely miss opportunities to turn small advantages into larger ones, controlling the pace of the game to their exact specifications. Hai knows when to dive a turret, when to go to Baron, and when to turtle up and defend. There’s a reason analysts and fans alike respect his decision making prowess.
For Cloud9 to succeed without him, he’ll have to impart that wisdom upon Bunny FuFuu. With Hai at his back, Bunny could ascend from being a mechanically gifted support to a true team captain. For now, the younger support player will have to watch, take notes, and try to find exactly what makes Hai tick.
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