Gaming
T1 have been almost unstoppable in the 2022 LCK Spring Season. We take a look at the biggest stats from their record-breaking journey to the Playoffs.
Smashing the record of every team that has gone before them, T1 have powered their way through the League of Legends Champions Korea (LCK) 2022 Spring Season with an unprecedented 100 percent record. This unbelievable feat has seen them win every match, regardless of picks, bans or the strength of the opposing team.
While T1 ride high on the wave of their success, we take a look at the unstoppable team and the factors that propelled them to record-breaking status.
T1's history
In 2015, back when T1 went by SK Telecom T1, they set the previous record with a 14-0 streak, so the team isn't without form. Even so, this 18-0 win streak in the 2022 Spring Season took them all the way up to the Playoffs with a completely unblemished record. They now head into the next stage as first seed and fans are keen to see what they'll do next. Is it possible they'll maintain their streak for even longer? Only time will tell.
So what was it that made T1 so invincible this time around? The last few years have been unpredictable for the team, who've struggled to find their feet since 2019, where they came out on top of both regular seasons, but fell short of a Worlds title. This time around, there was undeniably a touch of luck involved, as a few of T1's most feared opponents couldn't present their prime lineup – such as Park 'Ruler' Jae-hyuk from Gen.G – but the team themselves have come a long way since their last victory.
Faker on top
During this season, Lee 'Faker' Sang-hyeok deserves a huge part of the credit. Having stuck with T1 for almost 10 years, celebrating his 1,000th professional game of League of Legends and his 700th game in the LCK this year, his dedication to his team has allowed him to become synonymous with their victories and strongest moments – many of which he played a large part in.
The match against Fredit BRION was his 400th career win in the LCK, a remarkable achievement and one that undoubtedly gave him a confidence boost going into the rest of the Spring Season. The longevity of his career at T1 has allowed him to become a reliable constant, a big brother figure to the other members, and the team clearly benefited from his expertise during several big matches.
His flexibility proved to be a huge positive, as he was able to blindside the competition at times with an unusual pick. For example, his use of Kai'Sa in the mid lane surprised rivals Kwangdon Freecs, as she's usually reserved for play in the bot lane. Faker pulled the unusual move off with ease, though. He also played his 72nd unique champion against DRX by playing Veigar, showing his adaptability and persistence in finding new ways to win.
Big rewards
That's not to say the other team members didn't have their moments in the sun. Choi 'Zeus' Woo-je in particular, who's been promoted to the main roster this year, cemented his place in the hearts of T1 fans by Week 2, closing out a tight game with DRX from the top lane. As one of the youngest players in the LCK, he was tipped to be a promising rising star this year and quickly proved that to be the case.
Perhaps unsurprisingly to fans, the picks for the LCK All-Pro first team are now dominated by the red-and-black T1 jerseys. Zeus, Faker, Lee 'Gumayusi' Min-hyeong and Ryu 'Keria' Min-seok have all been chosen, with only one non-T1 player selected. The LCK All-Pro teams are decided by popular vote based on performance during the Spring Season, so it's a great honour for any one team to dominate the picks in this way. Keria also received the Season MVP award for his stellar performance over the last few months, becoming the first ever support player to win this award.
The stats
As if this selection of accolades wasn't enough proof that T1 are dominating this year, the stats also speak in their favour. Keria finished the Spring Season with the joint-highest KDA across all support players who played for the entire season (4.6, tied with DWG Kia's Kim 'Kellin' Hyeong-gyu), along with most single-season assists in LCK history, with an incredible 451. Compared to other support players, he also had the most assists per game, the highest damage per minute (DPM) and the most Player of the Games points.
Oner had a similarly glowing list of statistical feats, finishing the regular season with the highest average kills per game across all fellow junglers (3.5), and the highest DPM (299). Gumayusi managed to have the most average kills per game of all other players regardless of role (5.1) and broke another record with the most single-season kills in the history of the LCK with 219. Zeus had the highest DPM of all toplaners (552) and Faker was in the top three for DPM amongst midlaners (514). Clearly, even without the incredible record-breaking win streak, T1 managed to prove themselves as both a tight unit and individually talented players.
Now, the team faces a stronger challenge, but can they keep their streak going all the way to the end? The strength and unity shown by T1 this year goes beyond anything the LCK has ever seen and may set a new precedent going forward. The Spring Playoffs have now begun, so be sure not to miss any of the action as it happens.
