For the 2025 LEC season, SK Gaming have overhauled their roster. Despite finishing first in the Summer Split regular season, the German organization has retained only two players: jungler Ismaïl “Isma” Boualem and AD Carry Cho “Rahel” Min-seong. To complete the roster, SK have recruited three new faces. Notably, two are former BDS Academy players who dominated the ERL scene during the Summer Split 2024, winning both the LFL and the EMEA Masters. Toplaner Janik “JNX” Bartels returns to the German team, joined by midlaner Steven “Reeker” Chen.

Both sololaners are no strangers to the LEC. JNX previously played for SK Gaming — and also had a brief one-match appearance with BDS —, while Reeker competed with MAD Lions, before returning to the ERL. In 2024, both players excelled individually, in addition to their collective titles. According to Sheep Stats, they were the best performers in their respective positions for the year (JNX scoring 78/100 and Reeker 71/100). Their return to the LEC’s elite feels like a natural progression, especially for Reeker, whose stint with MAD Lions came too early in his career and ended prematurely.

At SK, the duo faces the challenge of replacing two prominent names in the EMEA scene. JNX steps in for Joel “Irrelevant” Scharoll, one of the LEC's top toplaners especially in early 2024, who has made the reverse move to join BDS (in the LEC). Reeker, meanwhile, takes over from Yasin “Nisqy” Dinçer, a seasoned veteran ranked among the league's premier midlaners.

Rekindling the Botlane Synergy

SK Gaming's third recruit is support Kim “Loopy” Dong-hyeon, who reunites with Rahel after their successful time together at Dplus KIA Challengers in the LCK CL. As a duo, they won the 2023 Spring Split of South Korea's second division. Loopy was already a candidate to join SK Gaming last summer, but the team opted instead for Lee “Luon” Hyun-ho, a choice that paid off as the Rahel-Luon botlane performed exceptionally well, playing a pivotal role in SK's first-place regular season finish.

Rahel and Luon, initially unknown in Europe, quickly cemented themselves as top-tier players in their roles. Retaining Rahel is a sensible move for SK, and the decision to replace Luon surprised many. However, the pre-existing synergy between Rahel and Loopy may justify the change. Without a suitable opportunity in Europe last summer, Loopy played for Isurus Gaming in the LLA, where he helped the team secure third place in the split.

SK Gaming's reported 2025 roster:

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