The Toronto Defiant signed Korean assistant coach Dong-young “HoChiLee” Lee, formerly of Australian contenders team Ground Zero Gaming. HoChiLee is set to replace former assistant coach Chris “Gl1tch” Infante. This seems to be one of the team’s last player or coach signings for the off-season.
We're excited to announce our newest addition to the coaching team @HoChiLeeOW as Assistant Coach! 🎉 #RiseTogether pic.twitter.com/08XWN1a8Dn
— Toronto Defiant 🖤 #RiseTogether (@TorontoDefiant) January 16, 2021
HoChiLee’s path to the Defiant
Before becoming a coach in Australia, he started his Overwatch career playing tank for Paradigm Shift in Australia contenders. In mid-2019, he helped the team reach fifth in contenders trials. But that was the extent of his playing career. However his coaching career was different. He started for the team he played for, Paradigm Shift. He made an instant impact by helping them reach the post-season in their first contenders outing. But HoChiLee later joined Ground Zero Gaming.
As an assistant coach, he led them to winning the championship in his first season with the team. Ground Zero Gaming’s performance in the Asian Gauntlet wasn’t great, but he showed promise as a coach. On Jan. 4, he announced on Twitter that he was joining a team in the Overwatch League. Of course, HoChiLee was announced late on Friday to be joining the Toronto Defiant.
Got an offer for an OWL team. Salary will be set in stone tomorrow meeting. Excited. Mom I've made it.
— HoChiLeeOW (@HoChiLeeOW) January 4, 2021
The Defiant adapting quickly
The Toronto Defiant were looking to add another coach even before Gl1tch’s departure. Fans across the league expect the worst out of player or coach departures, so it worried many Defiant fans to see him go. However, with Gl1tch’s departure, it does help that HoChiLee was announced quickly afterwards. With this signing, it’s nice to see a coach from Australian contenders join the league. Out of the coaches available from Australia, HoChiLee was among the best with Ground Zero Gaming. Plus he can easily communicate to the Defiant’s Korean players, such as key signing Hee-su “Heesu” Jeong. Toronto seems to be aiming for a high finish in their division this season, and this addition helps keep the boat afloat.
