Uzi becomes a free agent after contract expires

Chinese League of Legends player Uzi, one of the best ADCs in the world, is without a home after his contract with Royal Never Give Up expired today.

The world-class player’s contract ran through April 30, according to the official Riot Contract Database. With no news of the two sides working out an extension, his contract has expired and the Chinese star is now free to sign with any team of his choosing.

This move shouldn’t come as a complete surprise, though, since the star hasn’t played for the organization in 2020. News surfaced following the 2019 World Championship that injuries could force Uzi to retire. His injuries have been well documented over the past several years, including in a documentary produced by Nike and the LPL.

Uzi said his injuries make it hard for him to play for more than a couple of hours, which is a problem for professional players who practice and scrimmage for long periods every day. He also said in the documentary that a doctor told him his arm is so worn out that it resembles that of a 40 or 50-year-old.

The org used former Flash Wolves ADC Betty at the 2019 Demacia Cup and for the entire Spring Split. Betty played well for the squad during the regular season, posting a 5.6 KDA with 73 percent kill participation. The team struggled in playoffs, though, losing in the first round to Edward Gaming.

Prior to this year, many League fans thought Uzi was the best ADC in the world. Known for his Vayne, he was the first player to reach 3,000 kills in their career and did so while playing for one of the most popular teams in China. He played at a high level in 2019 and could likely return to that form if his injuries don’t hold him back.

While this situation continues to be left up to speculation, Uzi could ultimately choose to re-sign with RNG, who he’s spent most of his career with. Teams in other regions also commonly sign multiple players for each lane with the ability to substitute them in throughout a best-of-three series.

Many eyes will be on this situation if RNG does let Uzi walk and he chooses to keep playing. It’s not every day that a world-class League player becomes available.