Overwatch League franchise San Francisco Shock has made its first player acquisition during the holidays with the signing of DPS player Lee “ANS” Seon-chang. The 2019 Grand Finals winner enters the 2020 Overwatch League season with mostly the same roster, except for a few coaching staff changes.
We aren't trying to be AS GOOD as we were last year, we're aiming to be even BETTER! Please welcome @ansansniper__ to the Shock Family
See him in person at our home games next year: https://t.co/sNXXgPZDZL pic.twitter.com/ax7kcepo7o
— San Francisco Shock (@SFShock) December 24, 2019
ANS returns from retirement
ANS previously retired from competitive Overwatch in January of 2019, after competing for South Korean Contenders team BlossoM for nearly one year. While there, the 19-year-old did not do as well in season 2 or 3 of Overwatch Contenders Korea with bottom-half bracket placements, while teams like RunAway and Element Mystic dominated the scene.
During the offseason, the player went on to play for now disbanded team Goin Water S and placed first at the June Overwatch Korea Cup Monthly Finals. In addition to being awarded MVP at the event, ANS also streamed on the side where he became known for his Widowmaker and Hanzo gameplay.
San Francisco Shock to 2020
“We really planned for this year, this was our year. Last year, we were putting it all together. We based our team around the two kids, and I’ll say kids because they weren’t old enough to play until halfway through the season. Super and Sinatraa,” said Andy Miller, CEO and Founder of NRG Esports, during press day before the 2019 Overwatch League Grand Finals.
The San Francisco Shock faced backlash from the community during the early 2019 season for their choices in players. Many thought their decision to hedge their bets on Jay “Sinatraa” Won and Matthew “Super” DeLisi would not pay off. Miller later stated that he hoped to speak from “the winner’s podium,” which came true with the Shock’s defeat of the Titans.
The organization has kept the same core lineup, with the departure of Andreas “Nevix” Karlsson to the Toronto Defiant during the offseason. The Shock also signed former Talon Esports coach Lee “Arachne” Ji-won after assistant coach Bumhoon “NineK” Kim left to join the Paris Eternal as General Manager. ANS is the fifth DPS to the roster, alongside Sinatraa, Park “Architect” Min-ho, Kwon “Striker” Nam-joo, and flex Kim “Rascal” Dong-jun.
