Bwipo has won the PC Rookie of the year award at the Esport Awards 2018. He was at the awards himself to pick up his trophy although he was very surprised to win the award and even said so himself.
Bwipo’s first year in the professional League of Legends scene has been quite the story and he definitely deserves to win the award. He was signed as a substitute player for Fnatic and would originally not play a single match for the team but that suddenly changed when Soaz had to undergo surgery during the EU LCS Spring Split playoffs. Nobody expected him to perform well against other well-respected top laners in the EU LCS but he proved everyone wrong showing that he’s an extremely skilled player that should not be overlooked.
Once Soaz was able to play again though, Bwipo once again got a lucky break as the meta changed so drastically that Fnatic opted to play with Soaz top lane and Bwipo in bottom, benching Rekkles. During this short period where Bwipo played in bot he kept surprising teams with his skill, decision making, and mechanics. Especially his Swain and Ornn were impressive and have become two of his signature champions.
Once the meta returned to its original state, Bwipo remained as the favored starting top laner for the team, especially when the team made it to Worlds, where he once again showed his prowess on the rift. He took Fnatic all the way to the Worlds finals with stellar play and some surprising picks. Unfortunately, the team did not manage to win the Worlds finals and were bested by IG, however, they made it further than any European on Worlds since season 1 which made their entire run historical despite not hoisting the trophy in the end.
Another League of Legends player that deserved the award is Licorice. He came in as the rookie top laner and proved that he’s one of the biggest talents that NA currently has. He basically had the perfect Rookie year but unfortunately for him, Bwipo’s rookie year was every so slightly better. Licorice did get a well-deserved second place although this is mostly a consolation price.
The runner-up for Esports PC Rookie of the Year is @Licorice of @cloud9 #ESPORTSAWARDS pic.twitter.com/hc0ocJTZkD
— Esports Awards (@esportsawards) November 12, 2018
