Complexity will enter two teams into the upcoming League Championship Series expansion tournament.
The ladder team featuring Complexity mid laner Neil “Pr0lly” Hammad and the bottom lane duo from their LCS lineup will wear the Complexity tag as one of the top seeds in the tournament, while the lineup featuring top laner Jonathan “Westrice” Nguyen and jungler Kevin “Kez” Jeon, which qualified through the ladder, will also represent the organization.
The move gives Complexity two chances to stay in the LCS and ensures they keep their seed into the expansion tournament, which requires three of the five players from the previous roster.
A few weeks ago the surprise benching of mid laner Hammad and the potential retirement of marksman Robert Lee made it seem as if the team Complexity brought to the LCS, one that had a measure of success during one of the most competitive seasons in the league’s history, was doomed for dissolution.
But Hammad and Lee put together a ladder team with Complexity support player Royce “Bubbadub” Newcomb and two players from XDG, Jake “Xmithie” Puchero and Kenny “I Kenny U” Nguyen.
At the time it was unclear under what banner that lineup would compete, considering they featured three of five Complexity players presumably still under contract with the organization. But Complexity ended that speculation today, bringing the team as Complexity Black.
Westrice and Kez will continue to play with Hammad’s nominal replacement at the time of his benching, Greyson “Goldenglue” Gilmer, and a bottom lane consisting of Joshua “Impactful” Mabrey and Derek “lohpally” Abrams. The Complexity White team managed to qualify the tournament through the Ranked 5’s ladder, placing fifth, enough to earn the seventh seed in the expansion tournament.
“After exploring all available options we arrived at one that allows all of our players a chance at qualifying for the NA LCS,” the Complexity announcement states.
That’s a good thing for Complexity and the players involved, but it does bring up questions. Have Hammad and the organization made up?
The two parties had a rather public and messy spat after his benching, a decision made with dubious reasons based off the testimony of the players and management involved. But at this point, that’s seemingly in the past. The players have the best chance to reach the LCS under the Complexity banner, where they get to keep their seed in the expansion tournament, and Complexity gets two chances to get back into the LCS. It’s a win for all parties involved.
