Let’s go back to the middle of 2016. CLG have just finished second at the MSI, which was the best international showing a North American squad had to date. At home, they were greeted like heroes. It wouldn’t be a stretch to say CLG were considered the strongest team in the NA LCS, and almost every North American player was dying to be a part their lineup. And much like TSM, CLG had a chance to build an even greater legacy.
Cut to present day, and CLG are in dire straits. Within two years, they went from a title contender to not even qualifying for the playoffs. And we would argue that this downfall came from their underlying recruitment philosophy and historical tendency of mismanaging star players.