The offseason is nearly over and Overwatch League fans are ready to watch their teams get back into the fight. The 2019 offseason has been the wildest one yet, and many teams have seen big transformations. There will be a lot of fresh faces walking on stage this year. For fans who haven’t been keeping up with Contenders, a lot of these names might seem unfamiliar. One might be wondering, will this addition help or harm the team? What do they bring to the table? Is this player even good?

This series aims to answer those questions for fans who might not be in the know. Talent is abundant within Contenders, and a lot of these signings are ones that fans have been waiting for for years. The first two installments of this series focused on DPS and tank players; in this final piece, the focus will be on the many new support players joining the Overwatch League this season.

LeeJaeGon – Shanghai Dragons

The Shanghai Dragons are looking strong going into the 2020 season. After an exceptional performance at the Shanghai Masters during the fall, fans are excited to see this team back in action. The Dragons made quite a few changes during the offseason. One major change was the departure of Son “CoMa” Kyngwoo. CoMa played an integral part in the Dragon’s success last season, so fans were surprised to see him walk away. In his place, Lee “LeeJaeGon” Jae-gon will be taking the role of the Dragon’s primary main support.

There is a lot of hype surrounding LeeJaeGon and for good reason. LeeJaeGon is joining the Dragons after playing on Runaway’s 2019 roster. Runaway is a legendary dynasty in the Contenders scene. Runaway raises exceptional Overwatch talent; the best example of this being the entirety of the 2019 Vancouver Titans roster. LeeJaeGon joined the group that would replace the Vancouver squad. They would also follow in their footsteps and become a top Contenders team. LeeJaeGon is an aggressive Lucio player, known for sneaking into enemy backlines and somehow making fights work in his favor. He is an excellent addition to the Shanghai roster and fans should expect a lot of great plays from him this season.

Swimmer & Myunbong – Boston Uprising

Once again, the Boston Uprising have done a complete upheaval of their roster during the offseason. With only three returning players, the Uprising almost looks unrecognizable. However, if one has been keeping up with Contenders, a lot of these “new” names are familiar.

The Uprising have added Seo “Myunbong” Sang-min and Gabriel “Swimmer” Levy to their roster. Swimmer is a major fan favorite known for his sparkling, positive attitude and Lucio gameplay. He will be replacing Kristian “Kellex” Keller, who is now on the Toronto Defiant. Before joining the main roster, Swimmer spent time on Uprising Academy. Although Uprising Academy did not see great results during the 2019 season, Swimmer’s determination set him apart from his teammates in many ways. This signing was one of the more exciting ones for Boston fans, but it was Myunbong who stole the show.

The Fastest Signing in the West

Myunbong is a flex support player, formerly playing for O2 Blast. However, that didn’t stop Boston’s President of Gaming, Chris “HuK” Loranger, from scooping Myunbong up in the blink of an eye. It is rumored that Huk went directly to O2’s management in order to sign him before other teams could even consider the possibility of trialing him. Huk is known for his ability to find diamonds in the rough. With how determined he was to sign Myunbong, fans are curious to see what made the flex support so special in Huk’s eyes.

Coldest – Hangzhou Spark

Unlike the Uprising, the Hangzhou Spark did not make many roster changes during the offseason. Keeping the majority of their 2019 roster, they only made two additions. The Spark signed on two new support players and one of them has a lot of hype coming into 2020.

Tong “Coldest” Xiaodong is considered to be a legendary Zenyatta player from Contenders China. Many often compare Chinese Contenders to be the Wild West of the Overwatch scene. Teams refuse to play slaves to the meta and often come up with whacky compositions that have most analysts scratching their heads. However, that creativity often works in teams’ favors and Coldest thrived while playing for the Spark’s academy team, BiliBili Gaming. Although there were rumors that Coldest would join the Chengdu Hunters, the Spark decided to graduate him up to their main roster, along with his healing partner Liu “M1ka” Jiming.

Winter is Coming

Coldest will be competing with Yoon “BeBe” Hui-chang for the starting spot. Coldest did not join the team until January, so fans were unable to see how he would pair with Park “iDK” Ho-jin at the Shanghai Masters. iDK was a major source of strength for the Spark last year, so fans do not expect to see M1ka starting anytime soon. On the opposite side of things, BeBe was okay last season and it is likely that Coldest will start over him. Going into the 2020 season, most power rankings are mixed on where to place the Spark. The lack of major changes is a source of concern for fans, but if there is any addition to be hype about: it’s Coldest.

Funnyastro & Alarm – Philadelphia Fusion

The Philadelphia Fusion are another team that have almost completely changed up their support line. Although Isaac “Boombox” Charles remains on the roster, Fusion fans were surprised to see Alberto “neptuNo” González leave during the offseason. NeptuNo was a major face for the Fusion, but he has now found a new home on the Guangzhou Charge.

Taking NeptuNo’s place will be former ATL Academy main support Daniel “FunnyAstro” Hathaway. FunnyAstro actually spent some time on the main stage last season, as he was on a two-way contract between ATL Academy and the Atlanta Reign. FunnyAstro is an incredible Lucio player, and his similar bloodthirsty playstyle on Mercy should be some comfort to those still mourning the departure of NeptuNo.

The Fusion’s New Dynamic Duo

Alongside FunnyAstro, a Contenders legend is finally joining the ranks. Kim “Alarm” Kyung-bo is joining the Fusion after playing on their academy team, Fusion University, for the past two years. Many consider Alarm to be one of the top flex supports in the world. His mechanical skill on Zenyatta has earned him the praise of many, including Bang “JJoNak” Sung-hyeon. FunnyAstro and Alarm are expected to be the Fusion’s starting support line going into the 2020 season. Both are incredibly gifted players, and fans are curious to see if the duo will elevate the Fusion to new heights.

Crimzo – Dallas Fuel

Long have fans waited, William “Crimzo” Hernandez is activated. The Canadian flex support star has been a fan favorite for quite some time. Crimzo is joining the Dallas Fuel after playing for Team Envy. He has also been a constant on Team Canada’s roster over the past two years.

Crimzo will be competing with Benjamin “uNKOE” Chevasson for a starting spot this season. Unkoe has been with the Fuel for two seasons now after his trade from the LA Valiant during the inaugural season. The Fuel’s support line was one of their only saving graces last season. Both Unkoe and Jung “Closer” Won-sik are good healers, but the addition of Crimzo will give the Fuel an energy boost that they desperately need. Although Jonathan “HarryHook” Tejedor Rua is still on the team, fans don’t expect him to see much playtime this season either. Closer will probably end up starting again for the majority of the season, with Unkoe and Crimzo subbing in for each other. Fans have been waiting for Crimzo to join the League for years, so this addition will add another popularity boost if the Fuel underperforms again this season.

Stay Connected

Follow me on Twitter: @Sybil_OW for all things Gladiators and Contenders! I also like to yell about the Fusion and Paris Eternal. Feel free to message me on Discord @ Sybil#3517 – I’m always happy to discuss anything I’ve written!

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