Excel ADC Patrik is first to pick Nilah in professional League in loss to G2

The first professional Nilah pick in the world belongs to Excel Esports AD carry Patrik, who selected the “Joy Unbound” for the first time among all competitive League of Legends players during today’s game against G2 Esports in week seven of the 2022 LEC Summer Split. 

Prior to today, Nilah had not been picked in a major or minor region League game this season, according to League stats sites Games of Legends and Leaguepedia. Unfortunately for Excel, the experimental Nilah pick wasn’t enough to put them over the edge.

Excel lost to G2 in just over 28 minutes. Patrik came up short in terms of personal performance, too. His 1/4/1 scoreline on the day wasn’t nearly enough to sustain Excel through the mid-to-late stages of the game. 

On the other side of the Rift, G2 ADC Flakked made an example out of Excel’s bottom lane, finishing with a monumental score of 9/0/8, effectively creating a bottom lane canyon that Patrik and Excel had no answer for. Despite getting an early kill and assist in the game, while even being up on the opposing ADC by as much as 1,200 gold at one point, Patrik fell behind once G2’s Sivir-focused composition began to transition into the mid-game. 

Related: Nilah hit with mid-patch nerfs after soaring high in League solo queue

It took 25 games for Nilah to finally be picked in the LEC. She was added to League with the release of Patch 12.13, which went live on July 13. She hasn’t been picked anywhere else in the world, despite being active across all four major regions of professional League. 

Excel, who are in the midst of a three-game losing streak, will look to keep their playoff hopes alive tomorrow against Team BDS.