Strafe's Selections: The Best League of Legends Teams in 2023

The Best League of Legends Teams of 2023. That is a loaded statement that attempts to encapsulate the year we have had. 2023 was a wild year for League of Legends, with many intersecting storylines.

It was the year of JDG’s dominance in the LPL;

Gen.G’s evolution as a roster tactically; the LCS was facing record lows in viewerships and the exit of several household name organizations;

G2 racked up victories as part of a new era for their organization and a return to their glory days of yesteryears;

and from the ashes T1 swooped in to shatter the metaphorical ceiling once again with a 4th Worlds title amongst all the other worthy challengers.

So, as we wrap up 2023, let us take a moment to reflect on the year as a whole. Appreciate the best teams of 2023, for who knows who will emerge a frontrunner in 2024. (This list takes a holistic view of each team’s accomplishments within their respective region, irrespective to an extend of the grander idea of regional ranking)

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JDG, China’s Ultimate War-Machine

Words enough cannot fully capture the scope of ambition with this 2023 JDG project. Reports indicated a whopping $16 million USD equivalent was spent in assembling this group of talented individuals.

From retaining and evolving 369 into arguably the best Top Laner in the world, to having the luxury of both knight and Ruler as your primary carries, the consistent star-level playmaker that is Kanavi, and on top of all of that, seeing MISSING become this world-level initiator threat.

This roster had far too many variables to not be a goliath. In fact, the only way they could have failed was by potentially adding too many cooks (stars).

Two steps from the Golden Road. A dominant form year-long that saw them lose a single albeit fate-defining series that prematurely ended their year-long campaign. It is a true shame that this version of JDG never got to arguably achieve their peak results. What they lacked at times in cohesion, they made up for it with sheer individual mechanical brilliance. The instinctive synergy of talented monsters is the only way to describe them.

• LPL 2023 Spring
• LPL 2023 Spring Playoffs
• MSI 2023
• LPL 2023 Summer Playoffs
• LPL 2023 Summer (2nd place)
• Worlds 2023 (3-4th place)

G2 Esports - The Western Royals

Fans can forgive the loss to NRG when taking in the sheer scope of G2’s accomplishments in 2023. The Wild Cards of Europe bring a certain personality to the stage with their assembly of players. Having once again won essentially everything Europe had to offer, they set their sights on loftier, international goals.

Having scrapped most of their 2022 roster despite achieving considerable results still. Only Caps and BrokenBlade remained.

First, G2 brought back an old familiar face in Mikyx, one of the LEC’s most flexible and reliable Supports. Moreover, they had removed long-time veteran Jungler Jankos, and G2 replaced him with an exciting new rookie - Yike.

Finally, the prodigal son Hans Sama returned from across the ocean to complete the roster.

G2 ended their 2023 run extremely suddenly, having lost nail-biting back-to-back series against stiff international competition. Their domestic success was a little short of indomitable, and despite falling short internationally, they were still arguably the most consistent and strongest-looking Western representative across the year.

Good news for fans of this iteration of G2 as the organization has decided to run it back one more time.

• LEC 2023 Winter Playoffs
• LEC 2023 Summer Season
• LEC 2023 Summer Playoffs
• LEC 2023 Season Finals
• LEC 2023 Winter Season (4th place)
• LEC 2023 Spring Season (3rd place)
• LEC 2023 Spring Playoffs (4th place)
• MSI (5th-6th place)
• Worlds 2023 (9th-11th place)

Gen.G - The Apex of Korean Evolution

If JDG was the factory assembled War-machine of 2023, then Gen.G was the calculating, evolving hunter of the year. Korea’s national powerhouse roster slowly gathered steam since last year, with a strong assembly of talent that only saw them swap out their bot-side duo.

The retained top side of Doran, Peanut, and Chovy still functioned as one immaculate machine, especially Peanut and Chovy, both of whom were functioning as the best LCK Jungler and Mid Laner respectively.

In place of departing players Lehends and Ruler, Gen.G opted for a rookie bot duo of Peyz and Delight. This move proved to be a brilliant stroke, as the synergy between the pair, coupled with the experienced top-side, proved to be an extremely effective hammer and anvil in-game.

One of Gen.G’s brilliant evolutions this year, was a level of wave-manipulation and late-game approach that would make Magnus Carlsen proud. 10 steps ahead of the competition, by the time you saw it coming, it was 11 steps too late to respond.

That said, it is precisely because of this exciting level Gen.G shows domestically, that the saying ‘forever the bridesmaid, never the bride’ seems to ring so true for them. For a team that has bagged back-to-back-to-back LCK Championships, to fall so spectacularly below their predicted level in each and other international tournament, is what makes it particularly difficult to back them in any race.

At Worlds 2023, we saw Gen.G fall in shocking fashion to BLG in the Quarterfinals, including a dismal Games 1 and 2. By the time Gen.G found some semblance of waking up, Sleeping Beauty was already on the edge. Now Chovy and Peyz are the only ones to remain. With a completely rehauled top side of Kiin and Canyon, as well as the reintroduction of Lehends, Gen.G is set to give it another good go in 2024.

• LCK 2023 Spring Playoffs
• LCK 2023 Summer Playoffs
• LCK 2023 Spring (2nd place)
• MSI 2023 (4th place)
• LCK 2023 Summer (2nd place)
• Worlds 2023 (5th-8th place)

Cloud9 - The NA Dream Team

Amidst all the drama surrounding the decline of the LCS as a product, the departure of many well-known organization brands, and the diminishing hope in NA as a competitive League of Legends region, Cloud9 continues to deliver as a pillar of excellence in the West.

While they may not have the international success of European teams such as G2, their ability to consistently attend these events is already a testament to their outlying strength.

One of the most notable characteristics of the Cloud9 lineup, that separated them from other NA organizations, was their willingness to retain most of their roster. While granted, winning trophies in 2022 did help a lot in that decision, that preserved synergy is also what helped them massively in 2023.

Retaining their entire top side of Fudge and Blaber, as well as their bot side duo of Berserker and Zven, it ended up only being their Mid Laner who changed, and that was in large part due to the instability they have had in that role since the departure of Perkz in 2021. Both Diplex and Jensen took turns at the helm, and most recently, the infamous EMENES as well.

However, the sought after solidity continued to elude the team. Until now. With the addition of jojopyun to solidify their Mid Lane and veteran Support Vulcan, this Cloud9 roster is looking mighty fine for 2024.

• LCS 2023 Spring 
• LCS 2023 Spring Playoffs
• LCS 2023 Summer
• MSI 2023 (5th-6th place)
• LCS 2023 Championship (2nd place)
• Worlds 2023 (12th-14th place)

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Honorable Mentions

T1

Having retained their entire roster from 2022 and coming off a fresh loss to DRX in the Grand Finals, T1 entered 2023 with a noticeable ‘bone to pick'. The loss had stirred a hunger in all the players and the Spring Split saw them run in one of the most dominant forms that they have been since the previous year’s Spring Split.

2023 was not an incredible year for T1 results-wise overall. However, they did have notable performances throughout the year, most impressively, the Worlds 2023 trophy and title. Moreover, while T1’s form throughout the year was not as awe-inspiring as in previous years, when they did reach the international stage, T1 showed the wealth of experience they had gained from the previous year and a new level of form that looked a cut above the rest.

Furthermore (and this is the massive asterisk), Faker was forced to take a break from competing during the Summer Split due to a wrist injury. Head Coach Bengi, responsible for much of T1’s draft improvement since just before 2022 Worlds, also departed. During this period, T1 looked in the worst form they have ever been seen in, and it was only the timely return of Faker late in the season that secured their spot to Playoffs and onwards.

• LCK 2023 Spring 
• Worlds 2023
• LCK 2023 Spring Playoffs (2nd place)
• MSI 2023 (3rd place)
• LCK 2023 Summer (5th place)
• LCK 2023 Summer Playoffs (2nd place)

Bilibili Gaming

Last on the list, we have BLG. The young upstarts of the LPL have caused a massive uproar in the region with their rise this year. Prior to this, BLG had never been a strong contender as an organization.

However, with the addition of some key pieces, including Mid Laner Yagao and Head Coach Tabe, they began to find some success. While they may not have reached the skill pedigree of LNG, nevertheless, they still remained as the 2nd most accomplished LPL team of 2023.

BLG’s changes for the 2024 season is similarly interesting. Having retained ⅘ of their players and received a firepower upgrade in the form of knight, it is easy to get excited for their next season’s run. BLG’s true strength seemed to come in their macro decisions throughout the season, and a lot of that came from Tabe. While they now have greater firepower than ever, the question is, can they still replicate their earlier success without the mastermind?

• LPL 2023 Summer 
• LPL 2023 Spring (5th place)
• LPL 2023 Spring Playoffs (2nd place)
• MSI 2023 (2nd place)
• LPL 2023 Summer Playoffs (3rd place)
• Worlds 2023 (3rd-4th place)

 

These 6 teams complete this year’s edition of Best Teams of 2023 for League of Legends. Do you agree with our picks? Do you have another candidate in mind? Let us know in the comments.

Credit: Colin Young-Wolff/Riot Games

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