The Asian Games' League of Legends event is the JDG Red vs. JDG Blue showdown?

Immediately after the end of MSI, the Korean national team for League of Legends included Ruler and Kanavi in their roster for the Asian Games, replacing previous candidates like Oner, Canyon, and Gumayusi.
On the Chinese side, there's no doubt that 369, Knight, and Missing are outstanding domestic players, especially with the inclusion of a player like Knight in the national team, which seems highly likely considering JDG's recent performance in the bot lane, Missing also has a high probability of being selected. With this in mind, it is indeed possible to see a JDG Red vs. JDG Blue scenario in this year's Hangzhou Asian Games' League of Legends event.

So, the million dollar question: which team is better? The Chinese team with three JDG players or the Korean team with two JDG players?

Firstly, the jungle role remains the main tempo core in the latest patch of League of Legends. Despite the designer's efforts to restrain jungle carries from becoming too dominant, for the past half-year, the jungle has been primarily composed of champions with strong proactive abilities, such as Lee Sin, Udyr, Poppy, and Hecarim. The jungle still holds the initiative to control early game advantages, and having a good jungler is crucial for winning games.

Moreover, the current version still revolves around bot lane ADC carries. The Korean LCK currently doesn't have a more stable ADC player than Ruler, and judging from his performance in the LPL, there are hardly any players in the LPL who can compete with him. Ruler is undoubtedly the most stable ADC player in this meta and the type of player who provides the team with the desired positive results. In simple terms, investing resources in him can yield the best results with minimal risk.

The recruitment of Kanavi and Ruler by the Korean team is indeed a lucrative move for them. Because currently, the LCK arguably doesn't have better junglers than Kanavi, and other ADC players either tend to be too fragile or too old as compared to Ruler. Other junglers either struggle with their form or easily get distracted. These two Korean players from JDG pose the biggest threat to the Chinese team at the Asian Games this year.

Kanavi and Ruler are undoubtedly strong players in JDG, but we shouldn't overlook the fact that it's the JDG team that provided them with the stage to shine. On one hand, the coaches are excellent, and on the other hand, the three local teammates are also all top-tier. It's easy for people to overlook the comfortable environment that 369, Knight, and Missing create for Kanavi and Ruler. Especially in many critical situations, the performance of the jungler is crucial. If Ruler and Kanavi leave this group of teammates and join Zeus, Faker, Chovy, and Keria, it's hard to say whether they will have the same synergy and coordination.

Similarly, if 369, Knight, and Missing are confirmed as members of the Chinese national team, who will fill the gaps left by Kanavi and Ruler? Previously, there were rumors that JieJie, Xun, and Tian were the substitutes for the jungle role, while Jackeylove, Gala, and ELK were the substitutes for the ADC role. These player IDs indeed remind people of "JD Gaming and Top Esports." Both the Chinese and Korean national teams face the same challenge of uncertainty regarding how these players will perform after being separated and forming new teams.

However, if there is a discrepancy in the jungle role, it can easily lead to a significant difference in strength. Combined with the ADC carry meta, it appears that Korea is still more dominant on paper.

The Korean team announced their preliminary roster for the Asian Games relatively early, but it's not the final list, as officials have mentioned that adjustments may still occur, considering there is still some time left until the Asian Games. However, based on recent performances, it seems that this preliminary roster doesn't have any major issues. Teams like JDG, T1, and Gen.G are currently on winning streaks. As for the Chinese team, there hasn't been any official announcement regarding the roster. Various rumors and speculation are circulating online. Regardless, JDG Club has certainly been the global focus this year, with back-to-back victories in the Spring Split and MSI, a new home stadium, and its players being selected for the Asian Games' Red vs. Blue battle. They are highly likely to be the favorites to win the final as well. Interestingly, even with all these achievements, JDG doesn't seem to have a very high popularity. They truly need a championship title.

To sum things up, the Asian Games' League of Legends event will likely witness a showdown between JDG Red and JDG Blue. Both the Chinese and Korean teams have their strengths and uncertainties. The Korean team's inclusion of Kanavi and Ruler has proven lucrative for them due to the lack of better options in the LCK. However, it's important to consider that JDG's success is not solely due to these two players but also the exceptional coaching and the synergy created with their local teammates. The potential replacements for Kanavi and Ruler in the Chinese team also bring their own uncertainties. Ultimately, while Korea may appear better based on the current circumstances, the final outcome of the competition will depend on the teams' overall coordination and performance during the event.