The [Un]Official Overwatch League 2020 All-Star Selection

(Opinion)

It’s incredibly tragic that All-Stars will not be making a return for the 2020 season of the Overwatch League. A pity, because All-Stars was an excellent way for fans and players to celebrate the league without having to worry about the stress that comes from playing regular-season matches. Some of the scene’s most genuine and enjoyable moments have come from the absolute silliness that was the All-Star weekend, and if you want to relive the memories, I recommend watching Blizzard Guides’ 2018 and 2019 highlight videos.  

What’s even worse is that 2020 might be host to the most talented pool of players in OWL history. Regardless of the teams’ respective results over the season, a lot of teams made some noticeable upgrades, and All-Stars was previously a great way at highlighting individual players who might’ve come from worse teams. With All-Stars not happening this year, I thought it would be good to take the time to highlight these individuals anyway, giving recognition to the most skilled and most personable players who deserve to get the acknowledgement of standing out above the rest. 

To me, an all-star is an award given to a player who performs exceptionally well throughout the regular season, someone who can stand out from the rest, but who also might not be a player who’s going to dominate the leaderboards. An all-star can be incredibly charismatic and popular with the skills to at least make the middle of the pack, or they can be mechanical phenoms whose efforts might or might not be recognised by the community at large. 

For this year’s selection, the original divisions will still get the traditional 18 players each, to keep things evenly distributed among the players, but unlike the other years, each team does not get at least one all-star representative. For 2020, I want role stars to be a celebration of the players who were either too fun or unique not to include, too much of a powerhouse to miss out on, or a major factor to their team’s success.

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The Atlantic Division All-Stars

Sang-min "Myunb0ng" Seo – Boston Uprising 

-    Myunb0ng is the best player on the Boston without a doubt. He's gifted and a great support player, but he's just trapped behind a team that is just not clicking together. Many people argue that the 2020 Boston Uprising are worse than the 2018 Shanghai Dragons, but Myunb0ng is the sole player making that argument untrue. 

Tae-hee "Jerry" Min – Boston Uprising

- I'm making Jerry an All-Star, no one can stop me. He deserves it. I love Jerry. From the moment the crowd began chanting his name during the Toilet Bowl against Houston at the Washington Justice's first homestand, Jerry became the Overwatch League's golden child. We stan Jerry in this household. 

Gil-seong "Glister" Lim – London Spitfire

-    Glister was hyped coming into 2020, and he was said to be one of the best hitscan rookies debuting this year. Unfortunately, he is also a good player trapped behind a team that isn't clicking—# SaveGlister.

Sung-hyeon "JJoNak" Bang – New York Excelsior

-    I think many New York fans will not be surprised that this season's All-Stars is not just 33% of New York players. Collectively, this is the worst they've looked in all three seasons. Right now, JJoNak is New York's best player, and still one of the best flex supports in the league.  

Yeong-han "SP9RK1E" Kim – Paris Eternal

-    The promised child of 2020. The Element Mystic superstar came into the league with nothing but the highest expectations and boy has he delivered. A prodigy on the projectile heroes, Sp9rk1e has always played with a disrespectful swagger, but this time he's dunking on your favourite Overwatch League team on his way to glory. 

Ki-hyo "Xzi" Jung – Paris Eternal 

-    Xzi is another product of the Element Mystic superstar factory, but he was a lot less well known coming into the season. Now, we know Xzi to be one of the trademark hitscan freaks that we see populating the league today.

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Brice "FDGod" Monsçavoir – Paris Eternal

-    The funky frog main himself. When we saw FDGod debut at the New York homestand, I'm sure we were blown away by how much of a fragger he was on Lucio. FDGod is one of the most aggressive Lucio's in the league, and he's an absolute gem for it.  

Benjamin "BenBest" Dieulafait – Paris Eternal

- BenBest's 2020 resurgence might play second fiddle to Fearless' return, but it doesn't make his performance this season any less sweet. Paris's supermodel star main tank has been huge for them, especially since it wasn't that long ago that many saw BenBest as overhyped and undeserving of the Overwatch League. 

Han-been "Hanbin" Choi – Paris Eternal 

-    MVP. MVP. MVP. Hanbin can do it all, the most dynamic and talented off-tank player of the 2020 season. 2020 MVP, 2020 Role Star, and 2020 All-Star.  

Tae-hoon "Edison" Kim – Atlanta Reign 

-    Edison is a standout player for the Atlanta Reign this season and was another player many had eyes on for 2020. Atlanta hasn't necessarily stepped up to the plate against the tougher teams, but Edison has always put in the performances to keep Atlanta going in a series. 

Xander "Hawk" Domecq – Atlanta Reign

-    Hawk is one of the best western off-tanks we have in the league, and it's great to have been able to watch his debut. He's half the pair of one of the most formidable tank lines in the west and is a good reason as to why Reign look so good in some of their matches.

Jun-ki "Yaki" Kim – Florida Mayhem

-    From the moment I first spoke to Yaki at the Philadelphia homestand, I knew this was a guy was who was hungry to prove himself. Throughout the first chunk of 2020, Yaki was deadest on not only proving he was a star but also to style on the rest of the league with his versatile and immaculate play. 

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Nam-jin "Gangnamjin" Gang – Florida Mayhem

-    The polar opposite of Yaki, Gangnamjin is the silent support that keeps his team chugging along. Gangnamjin is another Runaway flower child whose sweet demeanour out of game is juxtaposed by his consistent but deadly play in the Overwatch League.

Beom-jun "Gargoyle" Lee – Florida Mayhem

-    No one expected much from Gargoyle after a disappointing 2019 season for the Florida Mayhem, unless there was a Roadhog meta lurking about in the distance. But his adaptation to Sigma and how well he plays around his team, really adds to the Florida Mayhem's resurgence in 2020. 

Jae-hyeok "Carpe" Lee – Philadelphia Fusion

-    The fish god himself. Carpe is once again gracing our presence with his freakish mechanics, ludicrous flanking plays, and inhuman clutches to make Philadelphia one of the best teams in the League. 

Su-min "SADO" Kim - Philadelphia Fusion

-    The Fusion's problem child is now their star student. After two years of being blamed from every Fusion problem under the sun, SADO is finally making the waves across the Overwatch League that was always hyped as capable of achieving.

Kyung-bo "Alarm" Kim - Philadelphia Fusion

-    Nothing more needs to be said about Alarm after being featured for about four different awards from GGRecon. An absolutely insane player who is the key to the Fusion's success this year. 

Daniel "FunnyAstro" Hathaway - Philadelphia Fusion

-    FunnyAstro may miss out on the other awards for 2020, but he is by far one of the most talented main support players we have in the League. His versatile play and status as a Lucio freak mean FunnyAstro gets top marks as one of the League's standout players. 

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The Pacific Division All-Stars

Ki-cheol "Cr0ng" Nam – Guangzhou Charge 

- There's an Emperor's New Groove reference hidden here somewhere, but regardless, Cr0ng's proficiency and consistent performances this season makes him one of the best off-tanks we have. He's been a standout performer and significant aspect to Guangzhou's success this season. 

Jin-seo "Shu" Kim – Guangzhou Charge 

-    We know Shu is ridiculously good, and it's great to see that he's still a top performer on many on the popular support heroes this season. Shu is the support everyone wants on their team: smart, mechanically sound, and clutch.

Seung-pyo "Rio" Oh – Guangzhou Charge 

-    Rio is often overlooked for some odd reason, but he is one of the best main tanks in the league, and crucial as to why the Charge are so good. Put some respect on Rio's name. 

Jae-won "LIP" Lee – Shanghai Dragons

-    LIP is crazy. His Sombra is the scariest we've seen so far in the league, and he's just a force to be reckoned with on other hitscan heroes as well. A huge find for Moon and the Shanghai Dragons. 

Jun-woo "Void" Kang - Shanghai Dragons

-    After years of being considered overhyped by a lot of OWL fans, Void has come back to prove all the haters wrong. Shanghai is as dominant as they are for a reason, and that's primarily because Void can consistently dumpster the competition. 

Jae-gon "LeeJaeGon" Lee - Shanghai Dragons

-    Watch out; it's the king of the Lucio freaks! LJG keeps the original Shanghai Dragon's vision alive by feeding his life away to the enemy team but improves on the novel concept by almost always taking someone down with him. He's weird, and he always buys real estate in the enemy backline, he's an absolute joy to watch. 

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Byung-sun "Fleta" Kim - Shanghai Dragons

-    Operation #FreeFleta was successful, good job everyone. Fleta finally is on the team that he no longer has to carry on his own, even though he's still pulled off a deadlift this season. Fleta's patience and skill has been rewarded with a title, an absolutely awesome team, and a very good chance at taking the season. 

Eui-Seok "Fearless" Lee – Shanghai Dragons

-    Fearless has spent time in the hyperbolic time chamber that was Contenders China and has come back beefy, vengeful, and ready to go Super Saiyan. Fearless' career story of the incarcerated main tank to core superstar is one for the ages, and he's the definitive come back king of the Overwatch League. 

Dong-ha "Doha" Kim – Dallas Fuel

-    This Element Mystic superstar had a lot of high hopes coming into the league. He's still a good player, but unfortunately, he's a passenger on a sinking ship. The Dallas Fuel is the Titanic, and Doha is Rose left to wade on a piece of debris, waiting for rescue. 

Kai "KSP" Collins – Los Angeles Valiant 

-    KSP is a good aimer. So good in fact, that he's one of the best western hitscan players we have in the league, well out of the ones with significant playtime. If there was a Widowmaker 1v1 to be played at the 2020 All-Star game, KSP would've been a good player to bet on. 

Caleb "McGravy" McGarvey – Los Angeles Valiant

-    Halsey approved and always reliable, McGravy is the Valiant's heart and soul. If his character isn't anything to go by, his performances in-game always give the Valiant a fighting chance in any matchup. 

Seonchang "ANS" Lee – San Francisco Shock 

-    ANS came out of nowhere, almost like Crusty plucked him out of thin air to give teams another reason to have nightmares about the Shock. ANS's rookie performance this year is one for the ages, a breakout star that only keeps shining brighter. He's nuts, he's crazy, and the San Francisco Shock's newest x-factor.

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Myeong-hwan "smurf" Yoo - San Francisco Shock

-    Smurf went from Thanos-snapped NA Contenders player to world champion in the blink of an eye. How the Shock manages to have so much talent and still keep their players in top form is beyond me. Smurf is the Orisa that fortified their 2019 win and is continuing to lead his team in 2020. 

Hyo-bin "ChoiHyoBin" Choi - San Francisco Shock

-    2019 Grand Finals MVP ChoiHyoBin is back to completely dismantle your favourite team's hopes of even coming close to beating the Shock. A superstar player still performing at the top level, ChoiHyoBin is one of the few off-tanks that can contend with the tiny group of elite players.

Jooseok "Twilight" Lee

-    Whoever let the Shock get away with signing two of the best flex supports in the world needs to get a stern talking to. Twilight left the Titans, got signed by the Shock, and started playing like he barely even got up from his computer. Twilight has dominated on the heroes he played this season, and he is still one of the best support players in the world.

Minki "Viol2t" Park - San Francisco Shock

-    The deadliest Baptiste in the league. Viol2t made strides in 2019 when he played as one of the top three flex supports in the league. In 2020, he hasn't stopped being dominant. The fact that the Shock can both Viol2t and Twilight at the same time is unfair, and it makes for one of the deadliest combos any team has the misfortune to play against. 

Niclas "sHockWave" Jensen – Vancouver Titans

-    sHockWave is genuinely a good player, who was unfortunate enough to be caught on the rough end of the Vancouver Titans' legendary implosion. That being said, he has made a great impression so far, and hopefully, in due time, he can get the space needed to grow as a player, where his performances can make an even greater impact.

 

Images via OWL