Smoothie

Early Career and Team Liquid

Andy Ta began his professional League of Legends career under the name Smoothie. His first major organization was Team Liquid, which he joined in October 2015. The team announced his acquisition with a lighthearted YouTube video featuring the team drinking smoothies, which confirmed his memorable in-game alias. During his time with Liquid, he established himself as a promising support player within the North American scene.

Rise with Cloud9

Smoothie's profile rose significantly after he moved to Cloud9 in June 2016, joining alongside Johnny 'Altec' Ru. His time with Cloud9 marked his most successful competitive period. The team was a consistent contender in the NA LCS, with Smoothie's support play being a key component of their strategy. He quickly became a fan favorite known for his proactive playmaking and shotcalling from the support position.

Competitive Achievements

During his peak years from 2016 to 2017, Smoothie accumulated a strong record of domestic results. He helped his teams secure multiple top-three finishes in the regular season splits. In the 2016 Spring NA LCS, he placed 3rd in the regular season and 5th-6th in the playoffs. The 2016 Summer split saw a 3rd place regular season finish followed by a 2nd place finish in the playoffs, a result he would match in the 2017 Spring playoffs after another 2nd place regular season.

His playoff performances were notable, including finishing as the runner-up in both the 2016 Summer and 2017 Spring NA LCS playoffs. Perhaps his most significant achievements were qualifying for the League of Legends World Championship in both 2016 and 2017. On both occasions, his teams reached the 5th-8th place stage of the global tournament. He also won the NA LCS Regional Finals in 2016 and 2017, securing North America's final spots at Worlds.

Later LCS Career

After his tenure with Cloud9, Smoothie played for other prominent LCS teams including Echo Fox, Team SoloMid, and Counter Logic Gaming. His move to Team SoloMid represented another high-profile chapter in his career. Throughout these transitions, he remained a recognizable figure in the league, bringing experience and leadership to each roster he joined. His career eventually transitioned to the developmental tier, where he played for Evil Geniuses Academy and Challengers squad in 2022 and 2023.

Retirement from Competition

Smoothie announced his retirement from competitive play after the 2022-2023 season, concluding a professional career that spanned nearly a decade. His final competitive matches were played with Evil Geniuses' academy and challenger teams. At the time of his retirement, he was 29 years old and ranked #3035 in the world and #77 in Canada according to player ranking statistics. He earned a total of $123,974.69 from 14 tournaments throughout his career.

Life After Esports

Following his retirement, Andy Ta has pursued interests outside of professional gaming. He has been involved in business, with a noted focus on Los Angeles luxury real estate. In reflections on his career transition, it has been said that the disciplined work ethic he built as the player Smoothie has been a foundation for his post-esports endeavors. He maintains a public presence associated with his gaming identity while building his professional life beyond competition.

Andy Ta originally hails from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. While he no longer competes, he remains connected to the esports community as a player who reached the highest levels of North American competition and represented his region internationally at World Championships.