Kubz steps down as IMT Academy’s head coach to return to Europe

The 25-year old last coached in Europe in 2018.
Photo via Riot Games

After spending over a year in North America, Immortals Academy head coach Kublai “Kubz” Barlas is stepping down from his position, and returning to Europe in the hopes of joining an LEC team.

Recommended Videos

“The culture of North American League of Legends isn’t suited for me, and the vision Immortals has for their League of Legends division is vastly different from my own,” Kubz said in a statement. “At the end of the regular season, I asked Immortals for my release and they have been gracious enough to comply.”

Kubz joined the LCS at the end of 2018, when OpTic Gaming picked him up to coach the team’s Academy roster. When OpTic was bought out by Immortals, the team rebranded while the coaching staff and roster remained.

Unfortunately, Kubz didn’t find much success in his short time in NA—in 2019, OpTic Academy finished in ninth place during the Spring Split and seventh place during the summer. The 2020 Spring Split was just as abysmal, with the Academy team finishing in ninth place alongside a 7-11 record.

Things aren’t all gloom and doom for Kubz, though. The eight-year coach will look for greener pastures in Europe, where he aims to compete at the highest level as a head coach in the LEC. The last time he coached in Europe was with Giants Gaming in 2018, but he also had experience coaching for Fnatic Academy in 2017.

The young coach also hinted that he already has a place set for his new adventure in EU. The future is bright, with multiple growing regional scenes to help build budding new stars on and off the Summoner’s Rift. If there’s any place that Kubz can build his career again, it would be in one of the best League regions in the world.


Dot Esports is supported by our audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn a small affiliate commission. Learn more
related content
Read Article LoL fans claim struggling Galio ‘has no point’ anymore—but Riot totally disagrees
Galio's splash art in League of Legends
Read Article CEO of former TSM, LCS sponsor FTX sentenced to 25 years in jail
FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried sporting a TSM jersey.
Read Article Phreak sparks debate around LoL laners’ lack of ‘appreciation for what jungling takes’ 
Lee Sin practising Muay Thay.
Related Content
Read Article LoL fans claim struggling Galio ‘has no point’ anymore—but Riot totally disagrees
Galio's splash art in League of Legends
Read Article CEO of former TSM, LCS sponsor FTX sentenced to 25 years in jail
FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried sporting a TSM jersey.
Read Article Phreak sparks debate around LoL laners’ lack of ‘appreciation for what jungling takes’ 
Lee Sin practising Muay Thay.
Author
Tyler Esguerra
Lead League of Legends writer for Dot Esports. Forever an LCS supporter, AD carry main, with more than five years in the industry. Sometimes I like clicking heads in Call of Duty or VALORANT. Creator of the Critical Strike Podcast.