Famous bench player and good luck charm Dong-eun “Hooreg” Lee has finally signed in the Overwatch League for the 2020 season. But this time around, it’s not as a player. Hooreg has signed as an assistant coach for the Houston Outlaws.
Force of Hooreg
Hooreg has been a bit of a weird character in the Overwatch competitive scene, known as a good luck charm stretching all the way back to APEX Season 4. When he played for team GC Busan, which later became the London Spitfire, he helped them win that season. When he joined the roster in moving to the Overwatch League, he helped them win the first stage and season playoffs. Then he left for RunAway, helping them win their first championship in Korean Contenders. After that, he joined another Korean team moving to the Overwatch League, following the RunAway roster to Vancouver. That first season, the Vancouver Titans set records and got second place in the league.
However, from GS Busan to the Vancouver Titans, Hooreg has played very little on stage. When he got released by the Titans, there wasn’t much confidence in him getting acquired again. Why would a bench player like Hooreg get signed for any other reason than good luck?
A fresh start
Coaching ended up being the answer. While his might seem like a surprise, it makes sense. A lot of bench players for teams, especially good ones, learn a lot from observation and playing in scrimmages. Who better to become a coach than the literal “benchgod,” the “good luck charm”? At the same time, transitioning from player to coach presents significant challenges, especially on a different team with a mixed roster like the Houston Outlaws.
The #ForceOfHooreg is headed to Houston!
Please help us welcome Coach @Hooreg to the Outlaws!#AnteUp
📷 Photo Credit: @me__hershey pic.twitter.com/v2HgPBhzNb
— Houston Outlaws (@Outlaws) November 26, 2019
But with the recent signings they’ve made, it makes even more sense. With adding more Korean players to the roster, they need a translator or a coach who can help. Hooreg fills both roles. The good thing about acquiring Hooreg is that he is only an assistant coach, so the rest of the coaching staff can help him change from a player to a coach. Plus, he isn’t coming from Vancouver alone, with one of the Korean signings to the Outlaws being teammate Jung-geun “Rapel” Kim from the Titans. Hopefully, Hooreg can keep his luck for the Houston Outlaws and give them a playoff-bound team for next season.
