Shanghai Dragons Sign 18-Year-Old DPS Player 'Develop'

The saying "strike while the iron is hot" rings true in the Overwatch League, especially when it's heated by the fire of a dragon. For the Shanghai Dragons, second place in the May Melee is not good enough, and the burning jeweled eyes of the beasts are fully fixated on scaling the Eastern standings in the June Joust before reigning hell on their western counterparts.

Having suffered a defeat to the Hangzhou Spark but notched up three solid wins against Chengdu Hunters, Los Angeles Valiant, and Seoul Dynasty respectively, the Dragons have licked their wounds and snarled their teeth in a topsy-turvey three weeks.

However, Shanghai has now decided to bolster their attack going into their remaining games, by signing a new DPS backup in Rak-hoon "Develop" Chae.

Shanghai Announce 18-year-old Develop

Following the retirement of Minseong "diem" Bae on June 3, Develop will come in as a direct replacement in the DPS role. 

The 18-year-old comes in with glowing reviews after a solid six-month spell at Talon Esports, in which he was a pivotal part of the roster that managed to secure a silver medal in the 2021 Contenders Season 1. 

The announcement indicates that the upcoming talent will play a key part in the Dragons' season, just as diem did in previous events.

How Will Develop Fit Into The Shangai Dragons Roster?

Whilst Develop may slot into the bench position behind the likes of Byungsun "Fleta" Kim, Jae-Won "LIP" Lee, and recently signed Seung-jun "WhoRU" Lee, it's likely that we'll see him in action at some point. 

Former LA Valiant manager, Mike "Packing10" Szklanny, recently described Develop as a "hidden gem", urging the Dallas Fuel to sign him back in April. 

With diem having his fair share of playtime in the Dragons' roster, Develop will likely get to show off his ever-growing potential in the first team. His growing reputation for being a keen sniper and a solid choice on Widow and Ashe may be his ticket into the first team and a chance to shine on the elite stage.

Image via Shanghai Dragons