GBM retires from competitive play to join Griffin as the team’s new coach

The pros are dropping like flies in this League of Legends offseason. Yet another player has decided to hang up his mouse and keyboard to dive into a coaching role.

Lee “GBM” Chang-seok, formally of Turkey’s Galatasaray Esports, Europe’s Team Vitality, and South Korea’s Jin Air Green Wings, joined Griffin as a coach today. He’ll shadow head coach Han “H Dragon” Sang-yong for the 2020 season.

GBM has had a colorful career as a pro, playing in the LCK, LEC, LCS, and, most recently, the TCL. He’s never been a star carry, but after descending from the ranks of Korea, he’s shown varying levels of domestic success. He won the TCL 2018 Winter Playoffs with SuperMassive Esports before earning a top-eight placing at MSI and a top-20 finish at Worlds that same year.

Since then, he’s played on a number of Turkish teams but has never reclaimed his former glory.

This month, GBM was plagued with controversy after Galatasaray management delayed 50 percent of his payment. It led to him calling the organization out on Twitter before Riot had to step in and solve the situation.

Now, GBM has officially retired from competitive play and has opted for a coaching role. He’ll likely have a slow start and have to learn from the veteran experience of H Dragon, but after a season or two, his knowledge of the game and his leadership could help Griffin regain their top spot in the LCK.

GBM and H Dragon will replace Kim “cvMax” Dae-ho, who left the team in September.