LoL Hall of Legends inductee 2025: Who could it be and why?

When Riot Games announced the launch of the League of Legends Hall of Legends in 2024, there was almost no doubt about who would be the first inductee. 

Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok, the most dominant and decorated player in League of Legends, was the inaugural member of what is intended to be a shrine for the game’s most impactful pros. But now that Faker is out of the discussion, who will be the second inductee in 2025? 

Last month, Riot Games teased that the second legend will be “someone who inspired the next generation.” With this statement, let’s take a look at which players might fit the bill and why each one of them would be a worthy addition to the Hall of Legends.

Hall of Legends is a commemorative initiative introduced by Riot Games in 2024 with the goal of honouring the greatest players in the esports scene. 

Taking inspiration from the hall of fame across several traditional sports disciplines, Hall of Legends gives global recognition to players who shaped League of Legends esports and turned it into a worldwide phenomenon.

To further add prestige to the induction, each player will have special in-game events, content, and cosmetics added. Giving the community several ways to immortalise a player’s legacy. 

Having inducted one player in 2024, the 2025 season only marks the second Hall of Legends induction. Riot previously confirmed it will happen annually, highlighting one or more players who made exceptional contributions to the game.

Currently, the only inductee is Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok, having won five world championships and countless domestic titles in his 12-year (and counting) career. Often regarded as the face of League of Legends due to his winning mentality and professional attitude, there was no better candidate for the first induction. 

Last year, Faker was celebrated with a documentary video of his career as well as a collection of three special skins featuring two of his signature picks, Ahri and LeBlanc.

With Faker rightfully taking the first spot, the stage is now set for the 2025 inductee, and fans are already speculating who could be next. Here are some of the most likely candidates:

If Faker is the face of Korean League of Legends esports, then the face of Chinese esports is Uzi. Regarded as the most mechanically gifted ADC in the first era of competitive League, he was the one leading Chinese teams to go up against the top Korean squads. Having debuted in 2012, Uzi made his first Worlds appearance at the age of 16, hitting the Worlds Finals on Royal Club. 

Despite never winning a Worlds trophy, Uzi was known for his incredible carry potential and micro mechanics, laying down the foundation for the rise of Chinese LoL, which eventually led to a world championship win in 2018 after years of Korean dominance. 

His career and his determination became an inspiration for many players, both in China and globally, which perfectly matches the description teased by Riot. Moreover, League of Legends is going back to China for this year’s World Championship, a perfectly logical strategic move to celebrate Uzi on home soil. 

Even if he somehow doesn’t get elected this year, expect Uzi to be honoured in the coming years.

If Uzi dominated in the bottom lane, then TheShy is his counterpart for the top side of the map. TheShy made a name for himself when he lifted the World Championship on Invictus Gaming back in 2018, taking the first world championship for the LPL. 

But aside from the glory of becoming a world champion, TheShy terrorised the best top lane players in the world at the time, dominating on high-risk, high-reward carry champions. His playstyle inspired and shaped many other top laners in the LPL in the coming years, and many still look up to him, even though he has been unable to take more international trophies since 2018. 

Often considered a utility role in professional play, TheShy proved to the world that top lane players can exert high impact with the right amount of aggression and mechanical prowess, keeping fans glued to their screens.

While the aforementioned players have taken the spotlight throughout their careers due to their skills, there is a player who has been flying under the radar with one of the most decorated records in League history: BeryL.

The support player is a two-time world champion and three-time Worlds Finalist, an achievement that is currently only matched by the T1 members who won Worlds back-to-back in the past two years. 

BeryL often went unnoticed when he lifted trophies in the past years, but any League expert realised how vital he was in all the successes. Whether it was playing unconventional picks like Heimerdinger, Ornn, or Sejuani, or finding opportunities on the map, BeryL always made uncommon choices work. 

The support player is also the only one who managed to win two World Championships on two different squads that are not T1 (or SKT T1). In an era dominated by mechanical monsters, BeryL is the proof that high game knowledge and a strategic mind still make a difference in competitions.

So far, all potential inductees come from the East — and rightfully so, considering their dominance in international competitions. Hall of Legends, however, is meant to recognise global impact, and there are a few Western players who would be worthy of that title.

When it comes to Western players who had a major impact on the international scene, Caps is the undisputed No. 1 choice. He’s the only European mid laner who made two Worlds Finals on two different squads (Fnatic and G2 in 2018 and 2019, respectively) and has long dominated the domestic scene since his debut in the LEC in 2017. 

Even though Caps hasn’t been the mechanical monster he once was when he first played in the European League, he was often the only Western player who could go toe-to-toe with the top Eastern counterparts. Throughout the years, Caps has become more of a leader, similar to how Faker is for T1, maintaining domestic dominance and becoming the face of the European League of Legends scene. 

If Riot plans to represent a better regional balance in the Hall of Legends, Caps would probably be the first name to be added.

If Caps is seen as the European Faker, then the North American one would be Bjergsen. While he’s technically European, Bjergsen spent most of his career in the LCS, building a strong legacy tied to TeamSoloMid, having led the team to six LCS titles and winning multiple MVP awards. 

Despite not achieving great results internationally, Bjergsen influenced most of the Western community thanks to his discipline and work ethic. He became the perfect representation of how esports pros can become leaders as they mature and learn from their own experience. Given that Hall of Legends is meant to honour those who created a long-standing impact on the scene, Bjergsen would definitely be worthy.

With only one name selected for this year’s Hall of Legends, there will be a lot of discussion regardless of who gets chosen. Each player mentioned in the list has their own reasons to be considered. You have Uzi, who defined Chinese esports, TheShy, who inspired the next generation of esports talents, and BeryL, who is the non-T1 player to have won two World Championships. On top of that, you have players like Caps and Bjergsen who could be recognised for their impact on the Western scene.

Nonetheless, the 2025 induction will be a historic moment. With Riot unveiling the name later this month, we look forward to seeing who will join Faker.