Kanavi

A Tumultuous Beginning and Contract Scandal

Kanavi's professional career began on February 16, 2019, when he signed a three-year contract with the LCK team Griffin. He did not play a single match during the 2019 LCK Spring Split. His competitive debut came later that year after a loan move to China's JD Gaming in the LPL on May 22, 2019. The transaction involved a payment of 600 million Korean won from JD Gaming to Griffin and its director Cho Gyu-nam. According to former Griffin coach Kim Dae-ho, Kanavi's annual salary, originally set at 200 million won, was lowered for the initial four months of this loan period. With JD Gaming, Kanavi and the team finished 10th in the 2019 LPL Summer Split but managed a third-place finish in the regional qualifiers for the World Championship.

The situation escalated when JD Gaming's management sought to make the loan a permanent transfer with a five-year contract. Cho Gyu-nam accused Kanavi of tampering and threatened to terminate his playing career if he did not comply. Under this pressure, Kanavi signed the five-year agreement, which stipulated Griffin would receive 1 billion won while Kanavi accepted the league-minimum salary. An investigation by Riot Games and KeSPA later cleared Kanavi and JD Gaming of tampering. Instead, it found Griffin violated rules on player loans and contract length limits. The investigation further revealed Cho exerted undue pressure on Kanavi, who was a minor at the time, to sign the contract. A clause in the loan agreement stated time with JD Gaming would not count against his Griffin contract term.

The released contract contained unusual provisions, including one allowing termination if the player was hospitalized and barring them from joining another team for a year, and another imposing a large fine for loss of contact. Griffin released Kanavi from his contract in November 2019. This case prompted the Korean government, after consulting esports stakeholders, to create standardized contracts for players, trainees, and teenage players.

Breakout and First Championship with JD Gaming

Free from his previous contract, Kanavi signed a new one-year deal with JD Gaming on November 28, 2019. He expressed relief, stating he had felt stuck at the prospect of a four or five-year deal and was satisfied with the single-year contract. He immediately justified their faith. In the 2020 LPL Spring Split regular season, JD Gaming finished second with a 12-4 record. Kanavi was named the LPL MVP of the Split. His statistical dominance was clear. He recorded 151 kills against 68 deaths, led all junglers in damage dealt, and participated in 76 percent of his team's kills while playing 11 different champions. He was named to the 2020 LPL Spring Split First All-Pro Team.

In May 2020, Kanavi won his first LPL title as JD Gaming defeated Top Esports in the Spring Finals. He continued his strong form into the summer, earning another spot on the LPL First All-Pro Team and leading JD Gaming to a second consecutive finals appearance, though they finished second to Top Esports. On September 20, 2020, he extended his contract with the team, confirming his place as their franchise jungler.

Statistical Dominance and Historic Kill Milestone

Kanavi's reputation as a carry jungler grew through consistent statistical excellence. He was named to the 2022 LPL Spring First All-Pro Team. His milestone moment came on July 18, 2022, during a match against Invictus Gaming. In that game, he achieved his 1,000th kill in the LPL, becoming only the fifth jungler in the league's history to reach that mark. Throughout the 2022 LPL Summer Split, he led all junglers in total kills and ranked third among all players in the category.

This individual skill translated directly to team success. In September 2022, JD Gaming defeated Top Esports in the Summer Split Finals, giving Kanavi his second LPL title. Following this victory, he renewed his contract with JD Gaming on November 23, 2022. At the annual awards ceremony, his year was recognized with two major honors. He was named the LPL Import Player of the Year and the LPL Jungler of the Year for 2022.

The JDG Dynasty and International Triumph

The 2023 season represented the peak of Kanavi's and JD Gaming's power. During the LPL Spring Split regular season, Kanavi registered the highest damage per minute and KDA among all LPL junglers, along with the second-highest damage share percentage. JD Gaming advanced to the Spring Finals and defeated Bilibili Gaming 3-0, securing Kanavi's third LPL championship. This domestic success set the stage for an international breakthrough at the 2023 Mid-Season Invitational. JD Gaming won the tournament, defeating Bilibili Gaming again in the final to give Kanavi his first MSI title.

The team's dominance continued in the summer. Kanavi earned another LPL First All-Pro Team selection for the 2023 Summer Split. In the playoffs, JD Gaming faced LNG Esports in a tightly contested final, winning 3-2 to claim back-to-back LPL titles and Kanavi's fourth overall. This victory qualified JD Gaming as the LPL's top seed for the 2023 World Championship. Having already won both LPL splits and MSI that year, and with Kanavi having won a gold medal at the Asian Games, he and teammate Park Jae-hyuk had a chance to win every major event they attended in 2023. Their historic run ended in the World Championship semifinals with a 1-3 loss to T1. Despite this, Kanavi received his second LPL Jungler of the Year award in December 2023. He re-signed with JD Gaming for the 2024 season before his later move to the LCK.

National Team Service and Gold Medal Exemption

In 2022, Kanavi was selected as one of six players for the South Korean national esports team competing in the League of Legends event at the Asian Games. The tournament followed a knockout format. The South Korean team defeated Saudi Arabia in the quarterfinals, China in the semifinals, and Chinese Taipei in the finals to win the gold medal.

This achievement carried a significant personal consequence for Kanavi. Under South Korean law, athletes who win a gold medal in designated international competitions like the Asian Games receive an exemption from the country's mandatory military service. His victory in Hangzhou therefore secured this exemption, a notable benefit for his career and personal life.

Accolades and Lasting Impact

Kanavi's trophy case reflects his status as a premier player of his era. His international honors include two Mid-Season Invitational championships and the Asian Games gold medal. Domestically in the LPL, his four championship titles are complemented by a suite of individual awards. Beyond the Split MVP and multiple Jungler of the Year awards, he has been selected to the LPL First All-Pro Team four times and the Second All-Pro Team twice.

His impact extends beyond in-game achievements. The contract scandal early in his career exposed problematic practices in player management. The subsequent investigation and public release of his contract details directly led to systemic change, with the introduction of government-standardized contracts for esports players in South Korea. As a player, he is remembered as the engine of the JD Gaming dynasty, a jungler whose aggressive, damage-heavy style defined one of the most successful teams in LPL history during the early 2020s.