Hangzhou Spark sign veteran Overwatch player Ado

With the third season of the Overwatch League underway, the Hangzhou Spark have revealed a surprise signing. They have signed Gihyeon “Ado” Chon, formerly of the Washington Justice and Shanghai Dragons. With not too many veterans of the first season of the league remaining, it’s nice to see one come back. After a seemingly mediocre last season with the Washington Justice, Ado is getting another shot.

A troubled league history

Ado is a weird player to talk history about in the league. His previous experience, while admirable, showed some major weaknesses. First, let’s get the elephant out of the room: yes, he did play for the 0-40 Shanghai Dragons. However, Ado’s play was one of the few on the team that led to them being signed for the second season.

Unfortunately, the infamous GOATs meta dominated the second season, forcing him onto Brigitte. His true potential went unseen, and he wasn’t resigned by the Justice for the third season. Now, his signing with the Spark will give him another opportunity on a mainly Korean-speaking team that needs some DPS depth.

Does Ado help the Spark?

We are delighted to announce Gi-hyeon ‘ADO’ Chon has joined us as projectile DPS! His skill and professionalism impressed us during his 2-month tryout and we believe the OWL veteran will be a great addition to our team! Welcome @OW_ado and show him some love!(♡˙︶˙♡) pic.twitter.com/yHR5zjJb7Q

— Hangzhou Spark (@Hangzhou_Spark) February 13, 2020

In terms of pure need, yes. With the Spark’s current roster, Ado adds a flexibility and experience that the team wants. Not only would he not mind being a bench player, but he can play through turmoil and keep his head up. We saw that clearly in both of his previous seasons with the Dragons and Justice. The only issue is: were there more skilled players available?

The answer to that is also yes, but not many were experienced like Ado was. Even if they were, they most likely wouldn’t be okay with a bench role. Luckily enough, Ado fits those holes. We might not see him on stage for a while, but it is nice to see another former 0-40 Shanghai player back in the Overwatch League.