As SK Telecom T1 prepares to defend its World Champion title, mid laner Lee "Faker" Sang-hyeok, dubbed the "Unkillable Demon King" and often referred to as the Michael Jordan of esports, is in comfortable territory. The 20-year-old won his first World Championship at 17 in 2013 at the Staples Center, as he led his team, SK Telecom T1 K, to a strong run. Again, at 19 in 2015, the world's best player repeated history and defeated foe KOO Tigers in the finals in Berlin's Mercedes-Benz Arena.
But as he walks into the home of the Los Angeles Lakers and Clippers this weekend, he faces arguably his toughest Worlds mid lane opponent yet in Samsung Galaxy's Lee "Crown" Min-ho. Crown, for his part, has had an incredible World Championship so far, proving to be one of the best mid laners in a tournament that featured 16 total teams at the outset. Known for his play on mage champion Viktor, Crown will try to dethrone the fellow South Korean titan and his allies -- something few before him have accomplished.
The mid lane matchup on Saturday is the one to watch. Expect displays of extreme talent from both Faker and Crown; given the right champions in the pick-and-ban phase, these mid laners could single-handedly turn the games on their heads.
