Over the last several years, North American League of Legends fans have continuously lamented the lack of North American-based talent in the LCS, pointing fingers at organizations that have imported more players from other regions rather than building from within.

Next year, however, an incoming surge of talent might be on the horizon, with several new NA players reportedly making their LCS debuts in 2024. Top-tier prospects like Meech, Sniper, Srtty, Tomio, Sheiden, Massu, and eXyu are all supposedly joining a starting LCS lineup, which is a promising sign for a region that is still looking for more faces to lead the league into the new era.

According to reports, rookie marksman Meech is joining 100 Thieves’ starting roster over veteran superstar Doublelift, while top lane phenom Sniper is being promoted from the team’s Challenger roster to replace Ssumday. Meech and Sniper are two of the higher-rated prospects in the region, and should be exciting to watch for any LCS hopefuls looking for future stars.

Meanwhile, top laner Srtty is supposedly joining Evil Geniuses’ revamped roster, while Sheiden is finally getting the full-time gig for the team after a few starts during the 2023 season. Tomio is joining Shopify Rebellion as a sixth man, Massu is reportedly getting promoted to the main roster by FlyQuest, and eXyu is making his LCS debut with Team Dignitas.

This wave of rookie talent should breathe some life into the scene, especially with league veterans like Darshan stepping away from competitive stage play. The LCS needs new faces to cheer for, and after the countless discussions around the state of imports in NA, it should be a welcome sight for longtime fans to see so many NA rookies stepping up to the challenge.

Unfortunately, these reported decisions could also be reflective of the current state of the league, with multiple teams facing financial issues due to the supposed “esports winter” that has already wreaked havoc in the scene.

Multiple big-name organizations like TSM, Counter Logic Gaming, and KOI have been hit by these problems, while others—like Evil Geniuses—are still dealing with continuous issues. Rookies will cost less to sign than established stars, allowing organizations to cut costs while still fielding relatively competitive rosters and giving chances to possible stars in the making.