In professional League of Legends esports, champ select isn’t just a pre-game formality—it’s the battlefield before the battle. Draft analysis shows that pros win or lose games based on their choices before the first minion spawns. From counterpicks to flex choices and meta adaptation, the draft phase is where coaches, analysts, and players set the stage for victory.
This guide breaks down why champ select is so important in pro play, how teams prepare for it, and the strategies they use to outsmart their opponents before the game even begins.
The Role of Draft in Pro Matches
1. Setting Win Conditions
Draft determines whether a team plays for early aggression, mid-game skirmishes, or late-game scaling. Coaches align champion choices with the team’s playstyle.
2. Adapting to the Meta
Pros must follow patch updates closely. If a champion like Azir or Kai’Sa is buffed, teams prepare draft strategies to exploit it before others adapt.
3. Countering Opponents
Knowing an opponent’s comfort picks allows teams to deny or punish them. For example, banning Rell or Milio against bot lane duos who rely on enchanters.
4. Flex Picks for Flexibility
Champions like Gragas, Jayce, or K’Sante are valued for being flexed between top, mid, and jungle. Flexing makes it harder for opponents to read the draft.
Step-by-Step: How Pros Draft
Phase 1: First Bans (Target Control)
- Remove overpowered champions in the meta
- Target enemy star players’ signature champs
- Set up comfort picks for their own side
Phase 2: First Picks (Power Priority)
- Teams secure the most contested champion (e.g., Caitlyn, Sejuani, Azir)
- They also use these picks to signal or disguise strategy
Phase 3: Response Picks
- The red side gains the advantage of responding with counterpicks
- Often locked champions complement the first pick or challenge it directly
Phase 4: Second Ban Phase
- Refines comps, removing counters or denying synergies
- Crucial in stopping scaling threats like Kassadin, Jax, or Vayne
Phase 5: Final Picks & Last Counter
- This is where solo lane counterpicks shine (mid or top)
- Red side has the last pick advantage, a key draft weapon
Key Draft Strategies Pros Use
- Scaling vs Aggression
- Teams decide early if they want to dominate lanes or survive to late game.
- Example: Drafting Jinx + Lulu for scaling vs Lucian + Nami for lane pressure.
- Objective Control
- Champs like Azir, Orianna, or Viktor for mid-control around dragons.
- Junglers like Wukong or Viego for skirmish dominance.
- Engage vs Disengage
- Hard engage comps: Rell, Rakan, Malphite.
- Disengage comps: Janna, Azir, Gragas.
- Global Pressure
- Shen, Twisted Fate, Taliyah drafts to pressure side lanes.
- Protect the Carry
- Funnel resources into one hyper-carry (Aphelios, Jinx) with peel supports.
Pro Examples of Draft Winning Games
- Worlds 2022 DRX vs T1 – DRX pulled out surprise Heimerdinger support bans and picks, tilting the draft in their favor.
- G2 Esports in LEC – Known for flexing champions like Yasuo, Kled, or Pyke into unexpected roles.
- LPL Teams – Aggressive drafts with priority junglers and skirmish comps to overwhelm opponents.
How Analysts Break Down Drafts
On broadcasts, analysts explain:
- Pick Order Importance – Why a team chose a champ early vs saving it.
- Ban Patterns – Which bans are targeted and why.
- Synergy & Counterplay – How drafts interact, e.g., poke vs engage.
- Win Conditions – Identifying which team has the scaling edge or early dominance.
This breakdown helps fans understand that games are often decided in champ select, not just on the Rift.
Draft Mistakes Pros Avoid
- Overdrafting Scaling – Risking too much on late game and losing early.
- Forcing Comfort Picks – Locking in weak meta champs just because a player likes them.
- No Engage Tools – Comps that can’t start fights are punished heavily in pro play.
- Ignoring Flex Potential – Not maximizing draft mind games limits strategic depth.
Conclusion: Draft is the First Win Condition
Esports draft analysis reveals why champ select is arguably the most important phase of competitive League of Legends. Pros don’t just click champions—they craft strategies, deny enemy plans, and set up win conditions before the game even begins.
The next time you watch LCS, LEC, LCK, or Worlds, pay close attention to champ select—you’ll often see the seeds of victory planted long before the first turret falls.
