Farewell Mickey
April 23 2018
We would like to announce that Young-min "Mickey" Son has officially transferred to Golden Guardians' LCS roster. Mickey has always been a remarkable talent, and after helping our Academy team to first place in the regular season and Top 4 in the playoffs, it was clear that he had a place in the LCS. Over the past year, we focused on improving his English communication and team skills, and we are confident that he will be able to show his real skill level when he debuts for GGS.
"I am thankful to Steve and TL for giving me a chance to play in NA. I enjoyed playing with TL in Summer and this Spring with TLA.
I think my English has really improved and I think I am 100% ready to play in the LCS now. Thank you to my team members on TLA you guys are awesome."
I think my English has really improved and I think I am 100% ready to play in the LCS now. Thank you to my team members on TLA you guys are awesome."
- Young-min "Mickey" Son
"I am incredibly happy with the progress Mickey has made since he first joined the team in Summer 2017. His proficiency in English has improved drastically; from being unable to hold any conversations in English to now being able to do his day-to-day without any need of a translator. His level of play was never an issue as he stuck to a very strict training regime throughout the season; he is a perfectionist and even winning scrims and performing well during matches was not enough for him.
I won't forget the night he came back from dinner with the rest of the TLA boys and he couldn't stop singing Drake's "God's Plan"... It was annoying but at that point I knew that he's come to embrace NA culture and that Mickey was ready for the LCS.
Best of luck Mickey, you're going to kill it... except versus TL of course."
I won't forget the night he came back from dinner with the rest of the TLA boys and he couldn't stop singing Drake's "God's Plan"... It was annoying but at that point I knew that he's come to embrace NA culture and that Mickey was ready for the LCS.
Best of luck Mickey, you're going to kill it... except versus TL of course."
- Timothy "Timkiro" Cho
When Mickey first arrived on our team, it was at a crucial point in Team Liquid's history. We needed a mid laner who could add some firepower and help us retain our place in North America's biggest league. It was not always smooth sailing, but in the end we were able to weather the storm and earn our place as a franchised partner in the LCS.
The off-season was the most exciting and unpredictable off-season in the history of the LCS, and we were able to make deals that put us in the position to win. The core of Pobelter, Xmithie, and Olleh arrived, flanked by two LCS legends, Impact and Doublelift. This quintet represented ready-made synergy and experience, and we entered the season as favorites. After being thrown straight into the furnace and proving his mettle, we planned to give Mickey the time to settle in by learning the language and team dynamics in the West, which would benefit everyone in the long run. We wanted him to develop the skills necessary to compete in the LCS, and over the past Academy split he has grown as a person and as a player. He proved that he can contribute to an LCS team, and when a good opportunity for him presented itself, we had to say yes.
Though our time together was brief, Mickey was a part of the historical success that we had this season. For that, we will always be thankful, and we hope that he has a fruitful career with Golden Guardians.