PraY’s full speech on his AfreecaTV stream as he announces retirement- “I have no confidence that I can do well [in professional play]”

Authored by korizon.net and submitted by KILLERCRACK

Kim “PraY” Jong-in, iconic LCK AD carry and multiple LCK Champion, has announced retirement as a professional player.

On 21st of April KST, PraY turned on his stream in AfreecaTV. From the beginning, PraY was evidently distracted, as he avoiding questioning from his viewers on why he turned the stream on. After the usual push and pull between his viewers, PraY finally revealed he was retiring from professional play.

“I have no confidence that I can do well [in professional play]”, PraY confessed.

“But, outright saying I’m not playing professionally anymore means that I will have no chance of going back to that stage”.

PraY debuted in NaJin Black Sword back in 2012. After winning his first championship in 2012, he made multiple Worlds appearance, before taking a short break in 2014. In 2015, he joined the HUYA Tigers, which will proceed to rebrand to the now beloved Rox Tigers. After 2 years, PraY, along with his longtime duo Kang “Gorilla” Beom-hyun, joined his last team in Longzhu Gaming, to be renamed to Kingzone DragonX at the end of 2017. In his new team, PraY showed his most dominant record domestically, winning two LCK trophies in a row. However, after the team’s failure to attend the 2018 World Championship, roster changes were made, and PraY made the decision to go into streaming at the end of last year. One of the first superstar AD carry from Korea, he remains to this day an idol for many Leauge of Legends fans and players around the globe.

PapaSmithy on April 20th, 2019 at 18:31 UTC »

Thinking about PraY's career makes me think of two things:

1) Waiting intently for the OGNLOL.com website to load so I could watch OGN Champions in 2012 - Before the streams were on twitch you could subscribe to OGN's now defunct website to watch in HD, and PraY was one of the many new stars that greeted me at 7pm KST each matchday for Korean League of Legends.

2) The nervous, restless energy I had getting ready to appear on the analyst desk at Madison Square Garden for the Rox Tigers vs. SK Telecom T1 Worlds 2016 Semifinal - At the time the biggest stage and crowd I'd performed in front of, a building I revered from following Wrestling for most of my life and a series that would go on to be my favourite casting memory to date.

It goes without being said that these two moments skip over all the indescribable joy PraY brought as a player - an innovator, a showman, clutch and uniquely capable of playing with style and substance.

There will never be another PraY - But there will be countless future pros who cite him as their inspiration to play League of Legends.

AshleyKang on April 20th, 2019 at 18:23 UTC »

It's heartwarming to see so many people come to rush to celebrate PraY's career.

It is a sad day for all, but I rather celebrate the great career he had and the mark he left on the League scene. He came to the decision to retire and I respect it and wish him happiness.

If I wanted to see PraY again, I have too many amazing VODs to catch up on.

Thank you for everything, PraY. You worked hard.

KILLERCRACK on April 20th, 2019 at 18:00 UTC »

Let us never forget The Arrow